The Context of HIV Risk Among Drug Users and Their Sexual Partners

TABLE 2. Injection Drug Use by Type of Sex Worker—First Sample
(N=360) 1987-1988
Injection
Type of Sex Worker
Drug Use Hustlers Call Men
(N = 180) (N = 180)
Ever Injected
Drugs
Total
(N=360)
122 67.8% 70 38.9% 192 53.3%
Drugs Injected*
Methamphetamines
113 92.6% 62 88.6%
Cocaine 72 59.0% 45 64.3%
Heroin 52 42.6% 26 37.1%
Ever Shared
Syringes” 88 72.1% 51 72.9%
Ever Shared
Syringes at
Shooting 30 24.6% 12 23.5%
Gallery’*
Ever Shared
Syringes at
Bath House or
Sex Club**
175 91.1%
117 60.9%
78 40.6%
139 79.4%
42 30.2%
9 10.2% 12 23.5% 21 15.1%
* Of those sex workers who reported ever injecting drugs.
** Of those sex workers who reported injecting drugs and ever
sharing syringes.
syringes were not readily available; California has had a prescription law
for syringes since 1929 and a paraphernalia law since 1958, and illicit
syringes were selling for $3 to $5 on the street. 3 Furthermore, the
investigator’s long experience with IDUs over several studies
(1966-1986) indicates that it is the exceptional person who does not share
syringes, especially when they first use the drug. Beginning users
seldom, if ever, have their own syringes; they almost always share with
persons who introduce them to the drug and the injection.
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