Klahn JA, Wood MM, Reynolds GL, Fisher DG; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. ThPeD7623.

California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, United States

BACKGROUND: This study explored the relationship between drug use and stage of change among out-of-treatment drug-users enrolled in an HIV prevention program. METHOD: 137 clients (76% male; 61% Black, 22% White, 14% Hispanic, 3% Native American, 1% "Other") completed the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) and the Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA). The RCQ is a 12-item instrument designed to classify individuals into one of three stages of change with respect to drug use: Precontemplation, Contemplation, or Action; the RBA collects client demographics, drug use and arrest history, sexual behavior, and employment information. Clients' mean age was 44.75 years (SD=9.14, Range=18-68). For drug use, 93% had ever used crack, 52% had ever injected drugs, and 29% had injected in the last 30 days. RESULTS: More than half of the clients (57%) were in the Contemplation stage of change in terms of their drug use; 37% were in the Action stage, and 6% were in the Precontemplation stage. Drug use stage of change was positively correlated with age (r=.24, p=.005) and use of the following drugs in the last 48 hours: cocaine (r=.16, p=.07), heroin (r=.14, p=.09), non-prescription methadone (r=.19, p=.03), other opiates (r=.17, p=.05), amphetamines (r=.17, p=.05), "other drugs" (r=.16, p=.07). Stage of change was negatively correlated with the number of days a client used marijuana (r=-.26, p=.003) and the number of days a client used "other drugs" (r=-.17, p=.05) in the last 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Older drug users were more likely to be in a more advanced stage of change, and may be more receptive to interventions that incorporate drug treatment to reduce their risk for HIV. 63% of clients were in either Precontemplation or Contemplation, which explains the correlation between stage of change and recent drug use. This has implications for HIV prevention programs, because those drugs that were used in the last 48 hours were all drugs that can be injected.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• California
• Cocaine
• Crack Cocaine
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Male
• Methadone
• Sexual Behavior
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous
• Substance-Related Disorders
• therapy
• utilization

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0015152

UI: 102252650

From Meeting Abstracts