Predictors of HIV sex risk behavior among women in us drug treatment programs: NIDA CTN trial results.

HIV prevention for women with substance use disorders is a public health priority. To identify characteristics associated with sexual risk among women in outpatient substance abuse treatment, this study categorized 809 screened women who participated in CTN-0019 into 3 groups: sexually inactive, sexually active with consistent condom use, and sexually active with inconsistent condom use.

Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine demographics, substance use and treatment characteristics, and regional HIV seroprevalence as predictors of sexual risk behavior.

Younger age and attending psychosocial treatment for primary cocaine use (versus attending methadone maintenance treatment for primary opioid use) were significantly associated with being at higher HIV risk.

Conclusions: Grounded in data from a large, geographically heterogeneous, national sample of substance using women in substance abuse treatment, this study identified demographic and clinical characteristics among women with differing levels of HIV risk. Analyses examined established predictors of HIV risk behavior of enduring importance, including: (younger) age; having multiple partners; primary stimulant use; alcohol use; and community HIV risk (as indicated by estimated IDU HIV seroprevalence). HIV prevention should be tailored to address HIV risk in younger women in psychosocial treatment.

Related protocols: CTN-0019