Reliability of drug users' self-reported HIV risk behaviors using a brief,11-item scale

This study evaluated the reliability of self-reported HIV risk behaviors in 84 substance misusers. The 11-item HIV Risk Behavior Scale was used to eva luate lifetime, past month, and past week risk behaviors. Cronbach's alpha ranged from .75 to .80 for the three versions. Test-retest reliability for the lifetime version was excellent, with correlations of .90. In addition, 44 clients completed the weekly version once a week for four weeks, as well as the monthly version at the end of the same month. Reliability of respon ses collected weekly and monthly was good (r = .67, p < .001). Principal co mponent analysis of the items confirmed that the scale measures two distinc t HIV risk factors: one related to injecting behaviors and the other to sex ual behaviors. These data suggest that the HRBS has satisfactory psychometr ic properties for measuring lifetime as well as recent HIV risk behaviors i n substance misusers. Due to its brevity, this instrument may be a useful c linical and research tool.