Effectiveness of an HIV risk reduction counseling intervention for out-of-treatment drug users
Kotranski, L.; Semaan, S.; Collier, K.; Lauby, J.; Halbert, J.; Feighan, K.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education 10(1): 19-33
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 9505096 Document Number: 487418
This study examined and compared the effectiveness of two counselling interventions designed to reduce the HIV drug and sexual risk behaviours of 684 out-of-treatment drug users recruited from South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All study participants received a standard intervention and one half were randomly assigned to receive also the enhanced intervention. The standard intervention provided HIV risk reduction education, HIV testing with pretest and posttest counselling, and training in condom use and needle cleaning. The enhanced intervention provided additional information on STD risk reduction. Both interventions were effective in influencing behaviour change between baseline and 6-month follow-up. A higher proportion of persons reduced their drug risk behaviours compared to their sexual risk behaviours. As sexual risk behaviours are more resistant to change, there is a need for tailored interventions that target out-of-treatment drug users.