Social support and sexual risk taking among women on methadone

This study examines the social support network of 109 female methadone patients and explores the relationship between social support and background variables, attitudes toward safer sex and sexual risk behavior. Subjects reported small supportive networks consisting primarily of drug users. Women who felt more loved by, respected by, and involved with a network of communication and mutual obligation, were more likely to feel comfortable talking about safer sex with their sexual partners and asking their sexual partners about their HIV status. They were also less likely to believe that their sexual partners would be upset if they suggested using a condom. No association was found between social support and frequency of condom use or frequency of sex with IV drug users during the last six months. Findings suggest the plausibility of multifaceted social support network interventions designed for methadone maintained women at high risk for HIV infection.