HIV sex-risk behaviors among in- versus out-of-treatment heroin-addicted adults.

BACKGROUND

Relatively limited empirical evidence exists comparing the impact on HIV sex risk behavior for patients admitted to methadone treatment programs (MTPs) as compared with nontreatment seekers.

METHODS

This longitudinal cohort study examined HIV sex-risk behavior among 164 out-of-treatment heroin-dependent adults recruited from the street and 351 newly admitted MTP patients. The AIDS Risk Assessment was administered at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Generalized linear mixed model and generalized estimating equation analyses were used to examine the changes in sex risk behavior over time.

RESULTS

The participants mean age was 41.5 years, 74.8% were African-American, 24.3% were White, and 54.4% were men. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, race, or gender. At baseline, the out-of-treatment group compared with the in-treatment group reported more sex partners (p < .001) and higher frequency of sex (p = .001). There was a group x time interaction for three of the sex-risk items and the out-of-treatment group reported having significantly more sex partners at both follow-up time points and having significantly more frequent unprotected sex while high at 6 months (all values of p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Nontreatment seekers are at higher HIV risk than those entering MTPs and should be a focus of sex-risk reduction interventions, even if they are not interested in treatment at that time.