Cocaine use and high-risk sexual behavior among STD clinic patients

Background and Objectives: Crack-smoking sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients are at high-risk for contracting HIV. Goal of the Study: To examine the effects of cocaine use and other correlat es on high-risk sexual behavior among STD clinic patients, Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of 1,490 consecutive patient s attending three Los Angeles County STD clinics between 1992 and 1994. Results: Logistic regression analysis found high-risk sexual activity was a ssociated with being a male and being of younger age, Among women, high-ris k sexual behavior was associated with crack cocaine use and a perceived nee d for help, Among the men in the study, ethnicity (being black) and having an arrest history were associated with high-risk behavior, Conclusions: Effective intervention strategies should address cocaine use a mong STD patients and provide them with referrals to drug treatment.