The UFO project measures the seroprevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in injection drug users under the age of thirty. UFO evaluates how risk factors and needle exchange use are associated with these infections and also examines the experience of overdose among young injection drug users. In addition to HIV and hepatitis pre and post-test counseling, UFO provides hepatitis B and hepatitis A vaccinations to study participants in an effort to determine how best to deliver these vaccines to young injectors. Participants need to be living with HIV and 18 years or older with plans to stay in the area during the duration of the study. The intervention is 15 meetings with half the participants randomized immediately to the intervention while the other half will go through a modified version of the intervention later in the study.
All participants engage in regularly scheduled interviews as well.
Everyone that participates will earn cash for each interview and meeting attended.