Risk Factors for the Transition from Noninjection to Injection Drug Use and Accompanying AIDS Risk Behavior in a Cohort of Drug Users

Risk Factors Associated with the Transition with Transition to Heroin Injection: A Street Addict Role Perspective

“…Multiple researchers have examined the question of whether or not certain drugs act as a physiological reinforcement 24 or gateway to the different routes of heroin administration. In previous studies, 9,14,17,18,25 duration and degree of involvement with the noninjected use of drugs were associated with the transition to injection drug use.…”

“…11 This desire to reduce the transition to injection has begun to focus scientific interest upon persons who sniff heroin and the factors that may facilitate or impede a transition from heroin sniffing to heroin injection. 9,[12][13][14][15][16][17] The extant literature on transition is not as extensive as one might expect. The strongest investigations are primarily epidemiological in orientation and concentrate upon the identification of multiple risk factors associated with the transition to injection.…”

“…The strongest investigations are primarily epidemiological in orientation and concentrate upon the identification of multiple risk factors associated with the transition to injection. 9,[14][15][16][17][18][19] Some factors are common across most studies while others are observed in only a few studies. A past history of injection and having a close relationship-in most cases a sexual partner-with injection drug users have been identified consistently as important risk factors for injection by a majority of studies.…”

“…A past history of injection and having a close relationship-in most cases a sexual partner-with injection drug users have been identified consistently as important risk factors for injection by a majority of studies. 9,[14][15][16][17] Number of years of heroin use, high frequency of heroin sniffing, and recent use of heroin have been documented as risk factors by several studies. 14,15,17 A history of physical abuse has been documented as a risk factor by two studies.…”

“…9,[14][15][16][17] Number of years of heroin use, high frequency of heroin sniffing, and recent use of heroin have been documented as risk factors by several studies. 14,15,17 A history of physical abuse has been documented as a risk factor by two studies. 17,19 Unemployment, 15 being tattooed, 17 dropping out of high school, 19 trading sex for drugs or money, 19 being homeless, 17 and having sniffed speedball 9 have been recognized as potential risk factors as well.…”