PSYCHOLOGICAL DYSFUNCTION AND HIV AIDS RISK BEHAVIOR/

The relationship between psychological problems and human immunodefici ency virus HIV/AIDS risk-taking behaviors was examined among 834 daily opioid users entering methadone treatment programs. A composite measu re of psychological dysfunction was created using depression, anxiety, and hostility scales. This measure was found to be significantly rela ted to needle risk in terms of injecting with used equipment, sharing of drug paraphernalia, and sharing with strangers. Psychological dysfu nction was also related to sexual risk taking in terms of number of pa rtners, unprotected sex with other injection drug users, and trading s ex. Use of cocaine was significantly related to all measures of inject ion and sex-related risk taking; use of speedball (heroin and cocaine) was significantly related to use of dirty equipment and sharing of pa raphernalia. The implications of study findings for AIDS prevention pr ogramming are discussed.