Social Support Networks and Primary Care Use by HIV-Infected Drug Users

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• 作者：Megha Ramaswamy ; PhD ; MPHAuthor Vitae ; Patricia J. Kelly ; PhD ; MPH ; APRNAuthor Vitae ; Xuan Li ; MSAuthor Vitae ; Karina M. Berg ; MD ; MSAuthor Vitae ; Alain H. Litwin ; MD ; MPH ; MSAuthor Vitae ; Julia H. Arnsten ; MD ; MPHAuthor Vitae
• 关键词：drug users ; health service utilization ; HIV infection ; social networks ; social support
• 刊名：Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：March-April, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：24
• 期：2
• 页码：135-144
• 全文大小：114 K

文摘

HIV-infected current and former drug users utilize primary care and preventive health services at suboptimal rates, but little is known about how social support networks are associated with health services use. We investigated the relationship between social support networks and the use of specific types of health services by HIV-infected drug users receiving methadone maintenance. We found that persons with greater social support, in particular more social network members or more network members aware of their HIV status, were more likely to use primary care services. In contrast, social support networks were not related to emergency room or inpatient hospital use. Interventions that build social support might improve coordinated and continuous health services utilization by HIV-infected persons in outpatient drug treatment.