IV DRUG-USERS - CHANGES IN RISK BEHAVIOR ACCORDING TO HIV STATUS IN ANATIONAL SURVEY IN SPAIN

Study objective - To determine whether HIV positive intravenous drug u sers (IVDUs) who were receiving outpatient treatment for opiate and co caine abuse or dependence used practices aimed at reducing the spread of HIV. Design - Cross sectional study of behaviour and HIV serostatus in IVDUs. Setting - A nationwide sample, from 83 health centres for o utpatient treatment, stratified by autonomous regions. Participants - Altogether 1074 IVDUs were recruited. HIV serostatus could be verified in 738 (68.7%) of these. Measurements and main results - Crude and ad justed odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated t o assess the association between HIV serostatus and behavioural change s, In their daily interactions with other members of the same househol d, seropositive subjects more frequently used preventive methods aimed at avoiding transmission than seronegative patients. Treatment for ab use or dependency before the current regimen had a greater impact in H IV positive than HIV negative subjects in terms of abstaining from ris k behaviours. There was a significant trend toward fewer drug consumpt ion in HIV positive subjects, and the number of seropositive and seron egative IVDUs who stopped injecting their drugs was significantly high er among the former. Seropositive subjects were also more likely to st op sharing drug injecting equipment and to change their sexual habits; they reported an increased consistent use of condoms. Conclusions - H IV positive IVDUs were more likely to change their risk behaviours tha n their HIV negative counterparts.