Perception of AIDS risk and high-risk behaviors in African-American methadone-dependent women

AIDS poses a particularly serious threat to African-American women who are or have been intravenous drug users. This study evaluated relationships among AIDS knowledge, perceptions of chances of contracting AIDS, and high-risk AIDS behaviors in 102 low-income African-American women from four methadone-maintenance clinics in Baltimore, who volunteered to answer questions about AIDS and their sexual and drug-use behaviors. The participants demonstrated a high level of AIDS knowledge, which was significantly correlated with their perception of likelihood of having the AIDS virus (r = .49, p < .05). However, there was little evidence of avoidance of high-risk sexual behaviors. Despite this knowledge, these data indicate that understanding how the virus is transmitted does not assure a change in behavior. The issue is complicated by the question of how knowledge possessed by individuals relates to their sense of powerlessness or empowerment and the risks and benefits associated with using that knowledge.