Lack of Care for HIV-Infected Crack Cocaine Users

Twenty percent of the HIV-infected crack cocaine users hospitalized at two U.S. sites reported that they had never received outpatient HIV care.

Among HIV-infected patients, crack cocaine use has been associated with a faster decline in CD4-cell counts and quicker progression to AIDS. However, cocaine users often face multiple barriers that make it difficult to engage in HIV care, including poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. What proportion of HIV-infected crack cocaine users have never seen an HIV care provider, and what are the correlates of this lack of care?

To find out, investigators conducted structured, face-to-face interviews with 355 sexually active, HIV-infected crack cocaine users who were hospitalized in tertiary care facilities in Miami and Atlanta. Ninety percent of the study participants were black, 52% were women, and 54% had CD4 counts <200 cells/mm³. Most of t…

Reviewing Author

Ingrid V. Bassett, MD, MPH

Lack of Care for HIV-Infected Crack Cocaine Users

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Reviewing Author