Comparison of Two Measures of HIV Sexual Risk Behavior in Women in Outpatient Drug Treatment Programs

HIV/STD sexual risk behavior is common among women who use drugs. To effectively implement interventions in busy drug treatment programs, it is important to have a rapid and accurate measure of sexual risk. This study compared two dichotomous ratings of unprotected sex among women in substance abuse treatment who participated in a HIV sexual risk reduction clinical trial: (1) any unprotected vaginal/anal sex occasions in the last 3 months, versus (2) unprotected vaginal/anal sex at last sexual occasion (LSO).

Sexually active women from 12 methadone maintenance or psychosocial outpatient programs who had a main (n = 363) or other male partner(s) (n = 117) were assessed at baseline for unprotected sex in the last 3 months and at LSO. These 2 measures were compared for congruence.

Participants who reported unprotected sex at LSO consistently reported at least 1 unprotected sex occasion in the last 3 months: 99.1% for main male partner sex and 93.8% for other male partner sex. Participants who reported using a condom at LSO were less consistent of those reporting condom use at LSO; only 30.3% reported protected sex at all sex occasions in the last 3 months with main male partner and only 67.6% for other male partner(s).

Use of one question about condom protected sex at LSO appears to be a partially useful tool. It can be useful for detecting sexual risk in clinical or research settings wherein the central focus is not on sexual behavior or when time is limited.

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By: Thorens G1, Pavlicova M, Hu MC, Nunes EV, Campbell AN, Tross S.

• 1From the Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (G.T.); Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University (M.P., E.V.N., A.N.C.C., S.T.); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (M.-C.H.); New York State Psychiatric Institute (E.V.N., A.N.C.C., S.T.); and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health (A.N.C.C.), New York, NY.  

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