NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIOLOGIC ...

extent of HIV infection among IDUs. In studies of
IDUs cited in previous CEWG reports, HIV prevalence
ranged from 18 to 25 percent at baseline, with
reported incidence rates of 1 to 2 percent per personyear.
Recent studies of young IDUs indicate high
levels of HIV risk behaviors but very low levels of
HIV infection, particularly among those who reside
in the suburbs. It should be noted, however, that the
studies are not directly comparable, because each had
unique sampling and recruitment strategies. More
information on HIV and HCV seroprevalence among
participants in a 1997–1999 study of 700 young IDUs
in Chicago is available in the June 2003 Chicago
CEWG report. Analysis of the NIHU Study (n=581)
found an HIV and HCV seroprevalence of 4 and 2
percent, respectively. During the 12-month followup
period, no HIV seroconversions and three HCV seroconversions
were observed.
As reported in the June 2003 report, findings suggest
that HIV prevalence and the rate of new HIV infections
have declined among IDUs in Chicago since
peaking in the late 1980s.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to thank the field staff of the Community
Outreach Intervention Projects, School of Public
Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, for their
contributions to this report. We particularly thank site
supervisors Raquel Rondon, Ed Snulligan, Mary
Bonilla, Otillo Green, and Otis McCoy, and outreach
workers James Crues, Hermenegildo ‘Armando’ Lira,
and Robert Banks for assisting with preparing the report.
The authors also wish to thank staff at the agencies
and organizations that contributed data used in this
report.
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For inquiries concerning this report, please contact Lawrence Ouellet, Ph.D., Director, Community Outreach Intervention Projects, Epidemiology
and Biostatistics (MC923), School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612-
4394, Phone: (312) 996-5523, Fax: (312) 996-1450, E-mail: .
Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group, Vol. II, January 2005 61