To assess the underlying association of sexual and injection risk behaviors, found in earlier research to be related to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a factor analytic approach was used with a sample of 296 heterosexual drug injectors from three cities. The analysis produced seven factors accounting for 69% of the variance. The content of the factors and their inter-correlations revealed them to be highly discrete from one another, an indication of the heterogeneity of individuals engaging in these risk activities. The utility of this approach as a tool to assess risk was demonstrated through the profiling of individual participants in the study. Results suggested the need for individualized strategies with this target population of drug injectors.
