Objective：The main purposes of this study were to investigate the environmental and genetic risk factors associatied with drug abuse using two groups of study subjects. (1) We first conducted a questionnaire survey among male inmates to collect their practices, knowledge and attitude to predict factors association with drug abuse. Our prediction model can be used as a tool to predict now drug abuse we invoted in male inmates and to increase their self-awareness of drug abuse. (2) For the genetic risk factors of drug abuse, this study investigated the distribution of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism is associated with the drug abuse behavior among HIV positive patients.
Methods：We conducted survey for drug abuse risk factors using questionnaire among inmates with drug abuse and with nosuch abuse at jails in 2007 in Taiwan; and collected HIV-1 seropositive blood samples from HIV/AIDS outpatients in Taichung area. (1) Information on demographic factors, sexual and drug abuse practices, and knowledge and attitude of drug abuse were used to build up Drug Abuse Risk Prediction Model. We investigated risk factors of drug abuse using case-control study. The risk prediction model was established by logistic regression, and odds ratios for risk factors were measured. We then used ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic curve) to estimate drug abuse risk threshold. (2) In regarding COMT Val158Met genotype study, we collected HIV-1 seropositive blood samples in 2007-2009 from HIV-1 surveillance network .Genotypes were identified using PCR-RFLP. Chi-square was used to estimate to the association between COMT Val158Met genotypes and drug abuse among HIV positive patients.
Result： (1) For the environmental risk factors of drug abuse : Result of the risk prediction among male inmates in Taiwan showed that “Age of first time having sex” and “Who repeatedly entry into prison” are drug abuse practices risk factors, and drug abuser had a better knowledge about drug abuse; non-drug abuser had a better attitude towards drug abuse. The overall OR of risk threshold value in male inmates was 9.665 (sensitivity: 0.839; specificity: 0.693). (2) For the genetic risk factors of drug abuse: Drug abusers and non-drug abuser were not significantly different in COMT Val158Met gene frequencies (P = 0.933) for HIV-1 patients. We found a significant gender difference in COMT Val158Met polymorphisms in HIV drug abusers. (Male in Val/ Val v.s Female in Val /Val: 56.3% v.s 28.6%,
P = 0.049)
