NCJ Number
140163
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: (Fall 1992) Pages: 833-847
Date Published
1992
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A sample of 122 HIV-positive drug users living in Amsterdam was studied to determine the extent to which these drug users, who were all aware of their serostatus, put others at risk of HIV infection, their perceptions of the risk of transmitting HIV, their intentions concerning future behaviors, and the characteristics of HIV-positive drug users who did put others at risk. The dependent variable used in the study was unsafe vaginal intercourse.
Abstract
About three-quarters of the sample injected drugs and half were heterosexually active at the time of this study. Findings showed that, while most of the HIV-positive drug users had good intentions regarding their behaviors, 20 percent had nonetheless put others at risk of HIV infection during the previous four months, the majority through unsafe vaginal sex. While the rate of condom use among this sample was much higher than reported in surveys of drug users with unknown serostatus, one-third of the subjects reported a negative attitude toward condoms. Needle sharing was reported by a minority of the subjects. The two strongest indicators of unsafe vaginal intercourse identified in this study were being a female prostitute and having a non-Dutch nationality. 3 tables and 48 references