RELIABILITY OF SELF-REPORTED HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS RISK BEHAVIORS IN A RESIDENTIAL DRUG-TREATMENT POPULATION

This study examined test-retest reliabilities of self-reported human i mmunodeficiency virus (HIV) sexual and drug injection behaviors among 246 prior drug users admitted to either of two residential drug treatm ent programs in Westborough, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Isla nd, between June 1990 and September 1992. Participants, selected by th eir date of admission, were administered admission and reliability que stionnaires pertaining to HIV risk behaviors, the latter at approximat ely 2 weeks after admission. Estimated reliabilities (kappa coefficien ts) of the sexual behaviors ranged from 0.72 to 0.91; those for the dr ug injection variables ranged from 0.63 to 0.98. These results were co nsistent across groups defined by sex and injection of drugs. The cons istently good reliabilities are significant to the design of independe nt studies of drug treatment populations utilizing self-report measure s of sexual and drug behaviors.