Significant others of i.v. drug abusers with AIDS: new challenges for drug treatment programs

When an I.V. drug abuser has AIDS, the impact on significant others (parents, lovers, siblings, and friends) can be devastating. Yet little is known about this portion of the population that often provides the bulk of the physical and emotional caregiving to the person with AIDS. This article provides a case example of what the authors believe to be typical of what happens in a family when a drug abuser who had previously been estranged from the family is diagnosed with AIDS. A treatment program for dealing with I.V. drug abusers with AIDS is also described.