Examining the decay of HIV risk reduction outcomes following a community-friendly intervention targeting injection drug users in treatment.
It has become crucial for risk reduction interventions targeting injection drug users (IDUs) in treatment to be "community-friendly" and potent over time so that limited resources may be optimally utilized. This study examined (1) the extent to which observed post-intervention effects--including enhanced HIV-related knowledge, motivation, behavioral skills, and drug- and sex-risk reduction behavior--decayed over time and (2) whether repeating the intervention atfollow-up provided additional benefit. Approximately 10 months after completing an adapted, substantially shortened, version of an evidence-based intervention, participants completed a follow-up assessment and then repeated the intervention. No evidence of decay was found. Even so, after repeating the intervention, a trend toward additional sex-risk reduction was observed for participants at higher risk for HIV. Findings point to the potential for an adapted evidence-based intervention for IDUs to be both community-friendly and potent over time within community-based treatment settings.
Copenhaver
Michael M
MM
University of Connecticut, Center for Health/ HIV Intervention & Prevention (CHIP), Storrs, CT 06269, USA. michael.copenhaver@uconn.edu
Lee
I-Ching
IC
D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*