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Changes in HIV-related risk behaviors following drug abuse treatment
W J Woods1, J R Guydish, J L Sorensen
1Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 94105, USA. bwoods@psg.ucsf.edu
Objectives:
To measure changes in HIV-related injection drug and sexual risk behaviors following drug treatment in a therapeutic community program.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective cohort study of 261 drug users, randomly assigned to day or residential treatment. Participants were interviewed 2 weeks after entering treatment and 6, 12 and 18 months later (follow-up rate: 83%).
Results:
Greater reductions in injection risk behaviors were associated with more time in treatment and the later waves of measurement. Wave was also associated with a reduction of sexual risk behavior.
Conclusions:
Drug abuse treatment was associated with a decrease in HIV-related risk behavior.