Age cohort differences in illicit drug use and hepatitis C among African American substance users

Nicole Ennis Whitehead; Lauren Hearn; Rebecca C Trenz; Larry E Burrell 2nd; William W Latimer

doi:10.1080/10550887.2014.969605

Age cohort differences in illicit drug use and hepatitis C among African American substance users

J Addict Dis. 2014;33(4):314-21. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2014.969605.

Authors

Nicole Ennis Whitehead¹, Lauren Hearn, Rebecca C Trenz, Larry E Burrell 2nd, William W Latimer

Affiliation

¹ a Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions , University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida , USA.

Abstract

Identifying prognostic indicators for undiagnosed Hepatitis C is crucial to attenuate the negative impact of this disease. This study explored the influence of recent and more distal injection drug use on biologically confirmed Hepatitis C infection among a sample (N = 260) of older and younger African Americans. Data from the baseline assessment of the NEURO-HIV epidemiologic study was analyzed using confounder adjusted regression techniques. Older adults were more likely to test positive for Hepatitis C (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.53-5.11) due to lifetime injection drug use (AOR = 5.37, 95% CI = 3.10-9.28). Clinical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Hepatitis C; medically underserved; older adult; substance use.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Black or African American / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Substance Abuse, Intravenous / epidemiology*
Time Factors
United States / epidemiology
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding