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Reducing HIV-Related Risk Behaviors Among Injection Drug Users in Residential Detoxification

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Abstract

This study of 632 drug injectors enrolled in eight residential detoxification centers within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network tested three interventions to reduce drug and sex risk behaviors. Participants were randomized to: (a) a two-session, HIV/HCV counseling and education (C&E) model added to treatment as usual (TAU), (b) a one-session, therapeutic alliance (TA) intervention conducted by outpatient counselors to facilitate treatment entry plus TAU, or (c) TAU. Significant reductions in drug and sex risk behaviors occurred for all three conditions over a 6-month follow-up period. C&E participants reported significantly greater rates of attending an HIV testing appointment, but this was not associated with better risk reduction outcomes. Reporting treatment participation within 2 months after detoxification and self-efficacy to practice safer injection behavior predicted reductions in injection risk behaviors. Findings indicate that participation in detoxification was followed by significant decreases in drug injection and risk behaviors for up to 6-months; interventions added to standard treatment offered no improvement in risk behavior outcomes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the staff at the eight participating treatment centers and the patients who were involved in the study. Cooperative agreements from the National Institute on Drug Abuse supported the study design and implementation and the collection and analysis of the data: Great Lakes Node (U10 DA13710), Northern New England Node (U10 DA15831), Oregon/Hawaii Node (U10 DA13036), Rocky Mountain Node (U10 DA13716), and Pacific Northwest Node (U10 DA13714). The study also received support from the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (UL1 RR024140) from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research.

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Author notes

  1. Lindsay M. Jenkins

    Present address: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

  2. Catherine L. Dempsey

    Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA

    Robert E. Booth, Susan K. Mikulich-Gilbertson, Laetitia L. Thompson & Catherine L. Dempsey

  2. Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Barbara K. Campbell, Dongseok Choi & Dennis McCarty

  3. Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Carrie J. Tillotson

  4. Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA

    James Robinson

  5. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Donald A. Calsyn

  6. Recovery Centers of King County, Seattle, WA, USA

    Lindsay M. Jenkins

  7. Clinical Trials Network, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Raul N. Mandler

  8. Department of Psychiatry, Michigan State University/Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, USA

    Michael R. Liepman

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  1. Robert E. Booth
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  2. Barbara K. Campbell
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  9. Lindsay M. Jenkins
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara K. Campbell.

Additional information

The Counseling and Education and Therapeutic Alliance intervention training manuals can be downloaded from the CTN Dissemination Library at http://ctndisseminationlibrary.org.

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Booth, R.E., Campbell, B.K., Mikulich-Gilbertson, S.K. et al. Reducing HIV-Related Risk Behaviors Among Injection Drug Users in Residential Detoxification. AIDS Behav 15, 30–44 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9751-7

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