Histories of childhood trauma and the effects on risky HIV behaviors in a sample of women drug deers

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the association between ch ildhood trauma and current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behavior s of 181 active illicit-drug-using women in San Antonio, Texas. We found ve ry few statistically significant associations, which could be explained by (a) childhood trauma subtypes not being mutually exclusive, (b) clustering of mild-to-severe forms of abuse, and (c) childhood trauma having an indire ct, rather than direct, effect on HIV risk behavior. Public health implicat ions from this study are that prevention programs need to consider past and current individual and environmental factors that influence HIV sexual ris k behaviors in women drug users.