Unprotected casual sex and perceived risk of contracting HIV among drug users in Baltimore, Maryland: evaluating the influence of non-injection versus injection drug user status

• Published in: AIDS care Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 221 - 230
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Mary M., Latimer, William W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.02.2009; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Baltimore; Biological and medical sciences; Condoms; Disease transmission; Drug addiction; Drug use; Drug users; Drug Users - psychology; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; injection drug user; Intravenous drug addicts; Male; Maryland; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; non-injection drug user; perceived risk of contracting HIV; Prevention programs; Promiscuity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk; Risk Factors; Risk perception; Sexual behavior; Sexual behaviour; Sexual partners; Sexuality; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology; U.S.A; unprotected casual sex; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Young Adult; United States; North America; Maryland; America; Baltimore; United States > US; Baltimore Maryland; USA, Maryland, Baltimore; Social environment; Human; Immunopathology; Drug addiction; Intravenous administration; Illicit drug; Sexual behavior; Mental health; Retroviridae; AIDS; Risk perception; Risk taking; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Infection; Virus; Viral disease; Risk factor; Human immunodeficiency virus; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540120801982897

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance and interactive effects of drug use status (i.e. injection or non-injection drug user) and condom use with casual partners in predicting perceived risk of contracting HIV among drug users in Baltimore, Maryland. Baseline data was used from the longitudinal NEURO-HIV Epidemiological Study. This battery of questionnaires assessed a variety of demographic, drug use and sex risk variables. The current study examined these variables in association with perceived risk of contracting HIV. Significant covariates included having at least some college education (AOR=.42, 95%CI=.20, .89), knowing someone who is HIV-positive (AOR = 1.82, 95%CI = 1.15, 2.89), using drugs twice (AOR = 2.02, 95%CI = 1.02, 3.99) or more (AOR = 2.22, 95%CI = 1.22, 4.04) per day and having unprotected casual sex (AOR = 2.51, 95%CI = 1.42, 4.41). These covariates explained 15% of the variance in perceived HIV risk. A significant interaction between type of drug user and having unprotected casual sex revealed that the greatest likelihood of perceived HIV risk associated with unprotected casual sex occurred among non-injection drug users. The results suggest that non-injection drug users are aware of their risk for contracting HIV if they engage in unprotected casual sex. Future HIV-prevention programs should build on this awareness by targeting this subgroup of drug users for condom-use interventions with casual partners. Additional programs should target injection drug users to increase their perceived risk of contracting HIV through unprotected casual sex.