NCJ Number
216191
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 127-135
Date Published
February 2006
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study explored the association between abuse history, substance abuse, and HIV sexual risk behavior in seriously mentally ill adults (SMIA).
Abstract
Results revealed that the incidence of lifetime and current psychiatric symptoms, recent unprotected sexual intercourse, and the use of crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana were significantly greater in SMIAs who had experienced abuse. The findings also indicated a high prevalence of alcohol and other drug problems among the participants. A full 75 percent of participants reported a history of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse while 68 percent of participants reported multiple types of abuse. The findings suggest that SMIA populations should be targeted for HIV prevention interventions that also address their abuse history, psychiatric problems, and substance abuse problems. Participants were 64 male and 115 female SMIAs who were recruited from 8 different mental health programs in the metropolitan Miami-Dade area. Participants completed interviews that measured their abuse history, psychiatric diagnoses, substance abuse, HIV risk, intravenous drug use, condom attitudes, condom use skills, and risk behaviors. Data analysis involved the use of t-tests and chi-square tests. Future research should focus on establishing the association and interactions between specific psychiatric symptoms, substance abuse, and risky sex in order to inform intervention programming for this population. Tables, references