Changes in HIV-related risk behaviors following drug abuse treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To measure changes in HIV-related injection drug and sexual risk behaviors following drug treatment in a therapeutic community program.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective cohort study of 261 drug users, randomly assigned to day or residential treatment. Participants were interviewed 2 weeks after entering treatment and 6, 12 and 18 months later (follow-up rate: 83%).


RESULTS
Greater reductions in injection risk behaviors were associated with more time in treatment and the later waves of measurement. Wave was also associated with a reduction of sexual risk behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Drug abuse treatment was associated with a decrease in HIV-related risk behavior.
Woods
W J
WJ
Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 94105, USA. bwoods@psg.ucsf.edu
Guydish
J R
JR
Sorensen
J L
JL
Coutts
A
A
Bostrom
A
A
Acampora
A
A
D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome