@article{ref1,
title="Social network analysis and high risk behavior characteristics of recreational drug users: a qualitative study",
journal="Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi",
year="2014",
author="Wu, Di and Wang, Zhenhong and Jiang, Zhenxia and Fu, Xiaojing and Li, Hui and Zhang, Dapeng and Liu, Hui and Hu, Yifei",
volume="48",
number="11",
pages="938-941",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To understand the characteristics of recreational drug users' behaviors and social network, as well as their potential impact to the transmission of sexual transmitted infections (STI). <br><br>METHODS: Qualitative interview was used to collect information on rough estimation of population size and behavior change before and after recreational drug use. A total of 120 participants were recruited by convenient sampling from April to October, 2013 in a community of Qingdao city. Blood specimens were taken for HIV/syphilis serological testing and social network analysis was performed to understand the characteristics of their behavior and social network. <br><br>RESULTS: All participants used methamphetamine and 103 of them showed social connection. The prevalence of syphilis and HIV were 24.2% (29/120) and 2.5% (3/120) respectively. The estimated size of recreational drug users was big with a wide diversity of occupations and age range, and males were more frequent than females. Drug use may affect condom use and frequent drug users showed symptom of psychosis and neuro-toxicities. The size of social network was 2.45 ± 1.63 in the past 6 months, which indicated an increasing trend of the sexual partner number and risky behaviors. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Recreational drug use could increase the size of social network among sex partners, the frequency of risky sexual behaviors and syphilis prevalence, which indicate a high risk of HIV/STI among this population as well as a huge burden of disease prevention and control in the future.<p /> <p>Language: zh</p>",
language="zh",
issn="0253-9624",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}