REDUCING HIV RISK BEHAVIOR AMONG INJECTION-DRUG USERS - EFFECT OF METHADONE-MAINTENANCE TREATMENT ON NUMBER OF SEX PARTNERS

Some studies have found that sex-related HIV risk behavior is less com mon among drug users in treatment than among users not in treatment; o ther studies have found no such relationship. However, past studies ha ve not controlled for drug-user background characteristics that might confound the relationship between treatment and risk behavior. Among t his sample of injection drug users in Los Angeles, those enrolled in m ethadone maintenance treatment report fewer past-year sex partners tha n those not in treatment; among treatment clients, number of past-year partners is negatively related to time in treatment. These findings p ersist after age and other background characteristics are controlled. Path analyses suggest that treatment may reduce sex-risk behavior by f acilitating clients' disengagement from paid sex and raising their per ceived self-efficacy for risk reduction.