In the US, the number of women drug users diagnosed with AIDS continues to increase, and levels of sexual risk behaviors remain high. Theoretical and empirical work has indicated that drug using women's relationships with male sex partners are focal points of risky sexual behavior and drug use. To inform HIV prevention efforts, there is a need to explore women's relationship with their main sexual partners, and determine how relationship factors affect HIV risk. Drug using women (primarily African-American and Puerto Rican) will be recruited from the streets of East Harlem. Those who report use of crack/cocaine, injected drugs, of 360 couples (n=720) will complete structured interviews. In addition to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, drug use, and HIV risk behaviors, the interview will measure: 1) dyadic factors (e.g., characteristics of the relationship, drug use patterns, interpersonal processes); 2) individual attributes (e.g., history of physical/sexual abuse, psychological functioning, HIV serostatus); and 3) situation specific variables in most recent sex events. HIV, hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C testing and counseling will be offered. Multi-variate statistical techniques will be used to determine the effects of dyadic factors, individual attributes, and their interaction on HIV risk behaviors. The prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV infections will be assessed, as will the couples will be compared in terms of drug use patterns, interpersonal processes, relationship satisfaction, and partner support. Results of this project will be used to develop interventions targeted at drug using couples to reduce HIV risk behaviors and assist those who are living with HIV.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01DA012805-03S1
Application #
6590923
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1 (01))
Program Officer
Lambert, Elizabeth
Project Start
1999-12-15
Project End
2003-11-30
Budget Start
2002-05-01
Budget End
2002-11-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$56,400
Indirect Cost
Name
National Development & Research Institutes
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10010
McMahon, James M; Tortu, Stephanie; Pouget, Enrique R et al. (2013) Effectiveness of Couple-Based HIV Counseling and Testing for Women Substance Users and Their Primary Male Partners: A Randomized Trial. Adv Prev Med 2013:286207
Cleland, Charles M; Deren, Sherry; Fuller, Crystal M et al. (2007) Syringe disposal among injection drug users in Harlem and the Bronx during the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program. Health Educ Behav 34:390-403
McMahon, James M; Pouget, Enrique R; Tortu, Stephanie (2007) Individual and couple-level risk factors for hepatitis C infection among heterosexual drug users: a multilevel dyadic analysis. J Infect Dis 195:1572-81
McMahon, James M; Pouget, Enrique R; Tortu, Stephanie (2006) A guide for multilevel modeling of dyadic data with binary outcomes using SAS PROC NLMIXED. Comput Stat Data Anal 50:3663-3680
Pouget, Enrique R; Deren, Sherry; Fuller, Crystal M et al. (2005) Receptive syringe sharing among injection drug users in Harlem and the Bronx during the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 39:471-7
McMahon, James M; Tortu, Stephanie; Torres, Leilani et al. (2003) Recruitment of heterosexual couples in public health research: a study protocol. BMC Med Res Methodol 3:24
McMahon, James M; Tortu, Stephanie (2003) A potential hidden source of hepatitis C infection among noninjecting drug users. J Psychoactive Drugs 35:455-60
Deren, Sherry; Shedlin, Michele; Hamilton, Thomas et al. (2002) Impact of the September 11th attacks in New York City on drug users: a preliminary assessment. J Urban Health 79:409-12