Predictors of HIV Risk Behavior in Iranian Women Who Inject Drugs

This study aimed to investigate predictors of drug-related HIV risk behaviors among women who inject drugs. A total of 163 women were recruited from harm-reduction-oriented drug-treatment centers in Tehran, Iran. Each completed a set of measures that included the Risk Behavior Assessment, Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition, Revised Self-Efficacy Scale, and Peer Group Beliefs Regarding HIV-related Risk Behaviors Scale. The results indicated that past attempts to abstain from drugs, using methadone maintenance treatment programs, and acceptance of peers’ risky norms were significant predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing predictors of frequency of injection, respectively. Furthermore, predictors of frequency of sharing injection paraphernalia included purchasing drugs jointly with other drug users and peers’ norms conforming injecting drug use behaviors. Harm reduction services that take into consideration cultural and peer norms, as well as the development and implementation of HIV prevention programs, are likely to reduce drug-related HIV risk behaviors in women who inject drugs.

Download Full-text

Associations between Leisure Activities and HIV Risk Behaviors among Rural Migrants in Urban China

Californian Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.32398/cjhp.v7i2.2011 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Xinguang Chen ◽

Xiaoming Li ◽

Bonita Stanton ◽

Xiaoyi Fang ◽

Danhua Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Behavior ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Hiv Risk Behaviors ◽

Urban China ◽

Hiv Risk Behavior ◽

Influential Factor ◽

Urban Migrants ◽

The Impact

Although much has been documented on factors affecting HIV risk behavior among rural-to-urban migrants in China, data are lacking on the impact of leisure activities. In this study, we examined the association between leisure activities and HIV risk behavior among a sample of rural-to-urban migrants from two large cities (Beijing and Nanjing) in China. Cross-sectional data were analyzed for a sample of 4,085 participants aged 18 to 30 years (40.5% females). Findings from the analysis indicated that although the migrants worked long hours, they engaged in a number of activities when they did not work, including watching television (60.2%), reading (59.1%), sleeping (55.6%), and chatting with friends and co-workers (45.0%). Multiple regression analysis indicated that reading, doing chores (females only), listening to radio programs/audio CDs (male only) were associated with reduced likelihood of HIV risk behavior while playing cards in groups, visiting entertaining installments, watching videos (including Xrated, males only), and wondering around (females only) were associated with increased likelihood of HIV risk behavior. Findings of this study suggest that constructive and individualized activities (e.g., reading, listening to radios, and doing chores) may prevent migrants from engage in HIV risk behaviors while group and entertaining activities related to drugs and sex may increase the odds for migrants to engage in HIV risk behaviors. Prevention research should consider leisure activities as both an influential factor (including time trends and gender differences) for program development and an important venue for program delivery.

Download Full-text

Reducing HIV Risk Behaviors: Perceptions of HIV Risk and Stage of Change

Journal of Drug Issues ◽

10.1177/002204269602600306 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 607-618 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sally J. Stevens ◽

Antonio L. Estrada

Keyword(s):

Hiv Prevention ◽

Risk Behavior ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Stage Of Change ◽

Hiv Risk Behaviors ◽

Injection Drug

The HIV epidemic has had a dramatic impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities around the world. Originally identified in homosexual men, HIV increasingly affects others, including: (1) those who inject drugs, (2) non-injection drug users who engage in unsafe sex, and (3) non-drug using heterosexuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. The need for effective HIV prevention interventions is critical. All too often interventions have lacked sound theoretical frameworks. However, some attempts have been made to ground HIV risk behavior interventions in behavior theories such as: (1) the health belief model, (2) cognitive social learning theory, (3) the theory of reasoned action, and (4) the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TMBC). This paper describes an HIV prevention intervention that was developed from the TMBC model. The TMBC model hypothesizes stages of change. In this study, injection drug users (IDUs), crack cocaine users (CCUs), and female sexual partners of IDUs and CCUs identified their stage of change and were given an intervention based upon their identified stage. Baseline and post intervention follow-up data were obtained on participants' perceived stage and reported HIV sexual risk behavior. The data indicated that there was little congruence between perceived stage and reported risk. In spite of this incongruence, significant decreases in HIV risk behaviors were evidenced.

Download Full-text

Are We Reaching and Enrolling at-Risk Drug Users for Prevention Studies?

Journal of Drug Issues ◽

10.1177/002204269602600303 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 541-560 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Renee M. Cunningham ◽

Linda B. Cottler ◽

Wilson M. Compton

Keyword(s):

Risk Behaviors ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Drug Users ◽

Crack Cocaine ◽

Hiv Risk Behaviors ◽

Hiv Risk Behavior ◽

Street Outreach ◽

Prevention Studies ◽

Hiv Risk Reduction Interventions

The St. Louis EachOneTeachOne (EOTO) project is a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded cooperative agreement aimed at examining rates of HIV risk behaviors and studying HIV risk reduction interventions among out-of-treatment injection and crack cocaine drug users. This paper uses data collected during the first year of recruitment and enrollment to document the effect of street outreach on HIV risk behavior involvement. The major findings are that: (1) men reported more HIV risk behaviors than did women, but the results failed to show striking racial or ethnic differences; (2) we successfully enrolled women in spite of the fact that our women street contacts were largely ineligible to enroll in EOTO; and (3) actual EOTO enrollees, compared with all street contacts and eligible street contacts, engaged in fewer HIV risk behaviors. These results imply that strategies in addition to street outreach may be needed to enlist more individuals, particularly whites and women who are engaging in the highest risk drug and sexual behaviors.

Download Full-text