title: Double jeopardy--drug and sex risks among Russian women who inject drugs: initial feasibility and efficacy results of a small randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With HIV prevalence estimated at 20% among female injecting drug users (IDUs) in St. Petersburg, Russia, there is a critical need to address the HIV risks of this at-risk population. This study characterized HIV risks associated with injecting drug use and sex behaviors and assessed the initial feasibility and efficacy of an adapted Woman-Focused intervention, the Women's CoOp, relative to a Nutrition control to reduce HIV risk behaviors among female IDUs in an inpatient detoxification drug treatment setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women (N = 100) were randomized into one of two one-hour long intervention conditions--the Woman-Focused intervention (n = 51) or a time and attention-matched Nutrition control condition (n = 49).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that 57% of the participants had been told that they were HIV-positive. At 3-month follow-up, both groups showed reduced levels of injecting frequency. However, participants in the Woman-Focused intervention reported, on average, a lower frequency of partner impairment at last sex act and a lower average number of unprotected vaginal sex acts with their main sex partner than the Nutrition condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that improvements in sexual risk reduction are possible for these at-risk women and that more comprehensive treatment is needed to address HIV and drug risks in this vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. wmw@rti.org
authors.forename: Wendee M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wechsberg
authors.forename: Evgeny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krupitsky
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romanova
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zvartau
authors.forename: Tracy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: Felicia A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: Rachel Middlesteadt
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ellerson
authors.forename: Georgiy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bobashev
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Zule
authors.forename: Hendrée E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D044623:Nutrition Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012426:Russia; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016387:Women's Health / Q000193:education