EVALUATION OF A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION FOR PREGNANT INJECTING DRUG-USERS AT RISK OF HIV-INFECTION

Pregnant injecting drug users were randomly assigned to: (i) individua lly receive a six-session cognitive-behavioural intervention in additi on to their usual methadone maintenance treatment (intervention condit ion (I) (n = 40)); or (ii) their usual methadone maintenance treatment only (control condition (C) (n = 40)). There was no change in drug us e per se in either group after the intervention. However, at 9-month f ollow-up the I group had significantly reduced some HIV risk-taking be haviours (in particular injecting risk behaviours). The I group reduce d the needle risk associated both with ''typical'' use (drug use in th e month before interview) and ''binge'' use (drug use in the month nom inated as the heaviest month of drug use in the previous 6 months). Th e intervention had no effect on sexual risk behaviours. The finding of reduced injecting risk behaviour following the six-session interventi on suggests that such an intervention may be of benefit for individual s persisting with injecting risk behaviours despite methadone maintena nce treatment and the availability of sterile injection equipment.