EFFECTIVENESS OF HIV INTERVENTIONS AMONG WOMEN DRUG-USERS

A prospective cohort study was conducted among chronic injecting and c rack cocaine drug using women. The hypothesis tested was that particip ation in a standard-plus-innovative intervention was more likely to pr oduce behavior change than participation in a standard intervention. S tandardized intervention protocols and corresponding instruments were designed. Data were collected on drug and sex risk behaviors at baseli ne and six-month follow-up intervals. The level of behavioral change i n two intervention arms-standard and a standard-plus-innovative interv ention-was measured by composite sex risk and drug risk scores using t he generalized estimating equation approach. The results show that on four risk measures the enhanced intervention was significantly associa ted with positive change in both drug use and sexual behavior: less fr equent drug use, less drug use during sex, and more frequent condom us e during particular frequencies for specific types of sexual activitie s. Public health interventions are effective when targeting specific r isk behaviors through interventions tailored to prevent HIV and reduce risk behaviors among specific cultural and gender groups.