Miami has the fourth largest rate of AIDS in the U.S., and is represented among all the major identified risk groups with AIDS. Miami is also known as one of the major centers of illegal drug activity, and has a significant proportion of AIDS cases among intravenous (IV) drug users. The major goal of this proposal is to evaluate a demonstration project designed to reduce risk behavior of IV drug users relative to the development of HIV and HIV related diseases (AIDS, ARC). Intervention Prevention Program (AIDS PIP) will be implemented in the Miami metropolitan area, by the AIDS research team of the Health Services Research Center of the University of Miami School of Medicine. A minimum of 1260 IV drug users will be recruited from three sources of Miami non-treatment populations: (1) criminal justice clients, (2) emergency room admissions, and (3) active IV users in the """"""""street"""""""" community. The three largest racial/ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks and Hispanics) will be targeted for recruitment into the tailored demonstration intervention program. A baseline assessment will collect serum samples for determination of HIV seropositivity, and detailed information on drug use, sexual practices, and other information important for follow-up and treatment. All subjects will be randomized into two levels of the AIDS PIP. The first level provides the standard information about transmission, and referral to existing drug and AIDS prevention programs. The enhanced intervention level provides a much more intensive intervention program emphasizing interactions on an individualized and group basis, and includes sexual partners as an important component of the PIP strategy. In addition, this level will also provide training to indigenous outreach workers to be used in this project Regularly scheduled interim assessments, and a final one will determine the effectiveness of the program, as well as delineate the processes by which the program was effective.
| McCoy, H V; Inciardi, J A (1993) Women and AIDS: social determinants of sex-related activities. Women Health 20:69-86 |
| Chitwood, D D; Comerford, M; Trapido, E J (1991) Strategies for enhancing existing studies of the natural history of HIV-1 infection among drug users. NIDA Res Monogr 109:9-28 |
