Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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We undertook a qualitative exploration of police perspectives on injecting drug use and needle and syringe access among injecting drug users (IDUs) in a Russian city which has witnessed explosive spread of HIV associated with drug injecting. Twenty-seven in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in May 2002 with police officers of varying rank who reported having regular contact with IDUs. All interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, translated and coded thematically. ⋯ While aware of drug users' reluctance to carry injecting equipment linked to their fears of detention or arrest, accounts suggested that the confiscation of previously used injecting equipment can constitute evidence in relation to drugs possession charges and that discovery of clean injecting equipment may be sufficient to raise suspicion and/or further investigation, including through stop and search or questioning. Our findings suggest an uneasy relationship between street policing and needle and syringe access, whereby policing strategies can undermine an HIV prevention ethos promoting needle and syringe accessibility among IDUs. We conclude that facilitating partnerships between policing agencies and HIV prevention initiatives are a critical feature of creating environments conducive for risk reduction.
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Excessive noise exposure is a serious global urban health problem, adversely affecting millions of people. One often cited source of urban noise is mass transit, particularly subway systems. As a first step in determining risk within this context, we recently conducted an environmental survey of noise levels of the New York City transit system. ⋯ S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), given sufficient exposure duration. Risk reduction strategies following the standard hierarchy of control measures should be applied, where feasible, to reduce subway noise exposure.
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Age structure at the neighborhood level is rarely considered in contextual studies of health. However, age structure can play a critical role in shaping community life, the availability of resources, and the opportunities for social engagement-all factors that, research suggests, have direct and indirect effects on health. ⋯ Four Chicago neighborhoods are summarized to illustrate how age structure varies across small space, suggesting that neighborhood age structure should be considered a key structural covariate in contextual research on health. Considering age structure implies incorporating not only meaningful cut points for important age groups (e.g., proportion 65 years and over) but attention to the shape of the distribution as well.
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Influenza vaccination is recommended for children with chronic medical conditions yet is infrequently performed. The reasons for low influenza vaccination rates in this group have not been well studied. We assessed and compared parents of children with chronic medical conditions regarding their beliefs and attitudes about influenza vaccination in 2003 and 2004. ⋯ In 2004 compared with 2003, fewer parents reported getting a reminder, and fewer believed that their child's doctor recommended flu vaccine. Doctors' recommendation that children with chronic medical conditions should receive an annual influenza vaccine and vaccine availability are important factors that resulted in a higher likelihood of influenza vaccination. Our findings that fewer parents reported receiving reminders and that fewer children were vaccinated in 2004 suggest that sustained improvements in vaccination rates may require continual changes in the format and delivery method of vaccination reminders from physicians.
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The correlates of unprotected sex among a sample of heterosexual men living with HIV (n = 121) were examined to determine whether patient characteristics can be used as a basis for tailoring safer sex counseling in the clinic setting. Potential correlates of self-reported unprotected oral sex (fellatio) and vaginal sex included participant demographics (e.g., age, ethnicity), disease status (CD4 counts, viral load, years since diagnosis), safer sex beliefs (e.g., condom attitudes), substance use, psychological characteristics (depressive symptoms, dispositional optimism and pessimism), and sex partner characteristics (main/casual partner, HIV status of partner, and duration of relationship). A series of logistic regression analyses were used to determine significant relationships. ⋯ Unprotected fellatio was positively associated with age and CD4 count and inversely associated with optimism and positive condom attitudes (all p's < 0.05). Unprotected vaginal sex was positively associated with duration of relationship and inversely associated with positive condom attitudes. Prevention efforts among sexually active adult heterosexual men living with HIV may benefit from focusing on improving attitudes towards condom use regardless of partner relationship status.