Attitudes toward needle-sharing and HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV+ injection drug users in clinical care.
Risky behavior related to injection drug use accounts for a considerable proportion of incident HIV infection in the United States. Large numbers of injection drug users (IDUs) currently receive antiretroviral therapy in clinical settings and are accessible for risk-reduction interventions to reduce transmission of drug-resistant HIV and spread of HIV to uninfected others. The current study examined attitudes toward needle- or equipment-sharing among 123 HIV-positive IDUs in clinical care in an effort to understand the dynamics of such behavior and to create a basis for clinic-based risk-reduction interventions. Results indicate that at baseline, participants who reported extremely negative attitudes toward needle-sharing were less likely to have shared during the past month than those with less-extreme negative attitudes. Demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal variables were entered into a logistic regression model to examine needle-sharing group membership among HIV-positive IDUs. Being female and having less-extreme negative attitudes toward sharing were independent and significant correlates of sharing behavior. Interventions targeting needle-sharing attitudes deployed within the clinical care setting may be well-positioned to reduce HIV transmission among HIV-positive IDUs.
Norton
Wynne E
WE
Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
Amico
K Rivet
KR
Fisher
William A
WA
Copenhaver
Michael M
MM
Kozal
Michael J
MJ
Cornman
Deborah H
DH
Friedland
Gerald
G
Fisher
Jeffrey D
JD
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000523:psychology*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology*