There is a need in the substance abuse treatment delivery system for empirically supported treatment materials for substance abusers with HIV. Treatment materials should include a set of strategies for counselors to examine their biases and beliefs regarding drug addicted people with HIV. The materials should also provide complete, accurate information about HIV/AIDS. Finally, treatment materials should facilitate clinical care of HIV positive substance abusers. The phase I product for this project is a manual which includes these elements. Using a field experimental design, this Phase II application proposes a test of the manual. Subjects will be 175 counselors randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) immediate invitation to use the manual or (2) delayed invitation to use the manual (""""""""counseling as usual""""""""). Dependent measures collected at baseline and post intervention will include counselor self-report along dimensions of efficacy, burnout, empathy, and HIV/AIDS knowledge. Collateral sources of information also will be gathered from counselors' supervisors. Analyses will determine whether counselors used the product and describe outcomes associated with its use. Successful demonstration of the effectiveness for this treatment tool would offer a sorely needed resource to the treatment system.
Development of a manual to guide outpatient drug clinicians working with HIV positive opiate and stimulant addicts would provide a sorely needed resource. Current outpatient treatment options for HIV positive drug abusers are limited. This manual would provide an approach with great appeal to treatment providers and insurance companies.
| Shoptaw, S; Reback, C J; Frosch, D L et al. (1998) Stimulant abuse treatment as HIV prevention. J Addict Dis 17:19-32 |
