Predictors of hospitalization for HIV-positive women and men drug users, 1996-2000

Public Health Rep. 2002;117 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S60-6.

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to determine whether health outcomes differed by gender in a cohort of African American, Hispanic American, and white drug users.

Methods: The authors studied hospitalization rates and discharge diagnoses in the HERO Study, an ongoing prospective study of drug users that included HIV-positive and HIV-negative opiate users. The data are from 1996-2000, when highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was available.

Results: Women had higher rates of hospitalization than men independent of HIV status, and there was no association between ethnicity and hospitalization. Being a woman was an independent risk factor for HIV and non-HIV-related hospitalization.

Conclusion: Health disparities between men and women extend to HIV.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / statistics & numerical data*
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / ethnology*
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology*
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Hospitals, Urban / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • New York City / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / ethnology*
  • White People / psychology*
  • White People / statistics & numerical data
  • Women's Health