EFFECTIVENESS OF AN HIV RISK REDUCTION COUNSELING INTERVENTION FOR OUT-OF-TREATMENT DRUG-USERS

This study examined and compared the effectiveness of two counseling i nterventions designed to reduce the HIV drug and sexual risk behaviors of 684 out-of-treatment drug users recruited from South Philadelphia, PA. All study participants received a standard intervention and one h alf were randomly assigned to also receive the enhanced intervention. The standard intervention provided HIV risk reduction education, HIV t esting with pretest and posttest counseling, and training in condom us e and needle cleaning. The enhanced intervention provided additional i nformation on STD risk reduction. Both interventions were effective in influencing behavior change between baseline and 6-month follow-up. A higher proportion of persons reduced their drug risk behaviors compar ed to their sexual risk behaviors. As sexual risk behaviors are more r esistant to change, there is a need for tailored interventions that ta rget out-of-treatment drug users.