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Trends of HIV risk behaviors in a cohort of injecting drug users and their sex partners in Miami, Florida, 1988-1998.

McCoy CB, Metsch LR, Comerford M, Zhao W, Coltes AJ, Messiah SE

Comprehensive Drug Research Center, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33136, USA. cmccoy@med.miami.edu

A cohort of 111 injection drug users (IDUs) and their sex partners was assessed in 1988 concerning risk behaviors for HIV and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Ten years later, in 1998, the cohort was reassessed using the same instrument. All who were HIV negative in 1988 were retested by blood draw for antibodies to HIV. A paired analysis was utilized to determine individual changes in risk behaviors for three serostatus groups--those who remained HIV negative (long-term HIV negatives), seroconverters, and those positive in 1988 (long-term HIV positives). Incidence was twice as high for sex partners (37.5%) as for IDUs (18.0%). Drug and needle use risk behaviors, except crack use, showed decreases; sexual risk behaviors were less amenable to change. Knowledge significantly increased among the long-term HIV negatives and seroconverters but not among those HIV positive in 1988. This analysis demonstrates the need for continued intervention among IDUs and their sex partners.

Published 3 June 2005 in AIDS Behav, 9(2): 187-99.
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