MAINTENANCE OF HIV RISK REDUCTION AMONG INJECTION OPIOID USERS - A 12MONTH POSTTREATMENT FOLLOW-UP

Study objectives were to examine HIV risk behaviors 12 months followin g methadone maintenance (MM) treatment termination, and to assess the effects of treatment tenure, cocaine use, and gender on posttreatment HIV risk. Injection and sex risk behaviors were measured at treatment entry and 12 months after leaving treatment among 435 injection opioid users. Multi-way contingency tables for treatment tenure and HIV risk at treatment intake and at 12 month follow-up were analyzed using the GSK weighted least-squares estimation procedure. The effects of treat ment tenure, gender, and cocaine use on risk behavior at follow-up, wh ile controlling for intake risk and background variables were tested u sing: a series of multiple logistic regression analyses. Results showe d that injection and sex risk behaviors were significantly lower at 12 month follow-up than at treatment entry. Additionally, increased tenu re was related to risk reductions, while cocaine use was related to in creased risk-taking. Gender was generally unrelated to risk changes. T hese findings support broader use of MM in helping reduce HIV risks am ong injection drug users and highlight the need to explore ways to enc ourage treatment compliance in order to reduce risky practices. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.