HIV Infection and AIDS Risk Behaviors Among Injecting Drug Users Entering Methadone Treatment

Abstract

Trends in HIV infection and AIDS risk behaviors among injecting drug users (IDUs) were assessed through a series of nonblinded point-prevalence surveys conducted between 1987 and 1991 with admissions to methadone treatment in eight areas, including New York City; Asbury Park and Trenton, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Chicago; San Antonio, Texas; and Los Angeles County. Over the 5-year period, significant changes in HIV seropositivity were found in two of the eight cities, with seroprevalence decreasing in Asbury Park from 43.1 to 21.2% and increasing from 10.1 to 17.6% in Chicago. Initially high levels of injection-related risk behaviors decreased substantially across cohorts in most cities, except for San Antonio and Los Angeles, where risk levels remained high. Sexual risk behaviors continued at high levels in all cities, suggesting relatively little sexual risk reduction during the course of the study.