Risk dimensions of HIV-tested substance users

Methadone outpatients (n = 177) and outpatients enrolled in a nonchemotherapy (n = 65) counseling unit requested HIV testing. A HIV risk-related questionnaire elicited information on needle-sharing, drug injecting, sexual behaviors, and other risk activities. Although age and geographical seroprevalence were not significantly related to a positive HIV test result, a significant relationship was found between the patient's self-report of AIDS deaths among personal acquaintances and serostatus. Dimensions of risk concerns were found to be significantly related to gender in the methadone sample but not in the nonchemotherapy sample. Serostatus in the nonchemotherapy sample was significantly related to drug injecting and the sum of a 12-item risk index constructed to predict HIV infection.