The alcoholics in treatment HIV risk (ATRISK) study: gender, ethnic and geographic group comparisons.

OBJECTIVE

This study attempted to identify alcoholic inpatients as a population at elevated risk for HIV infection in comparison with other groups. Modes of risk across gender, ethnic and geographic subgroups were explored in order to guide targeted preventive efforts in the future.

METHOD: Structured interviews were conducted with 802 alcoholic inpatients (481 males, 321 females) in New York City and western New York State.

RESULTS

Measures of sexual risk behavior indicated low rates of condom use and high rates of multiple or nonprimary sex partners. Trading sex for drugs or money was common. Injection drug use was reported by nearly one-fifth of these patients. Most subjects (59.9%) reported at least one sexually transmitted disease. Self-reported HIV status yielded a seroprevalence rate of 6.7% among those who knew their HIV status.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicated rates of HIV infection and associated risk behaviors similar to, and in some instances exceeding, those of other high-risk subpopulations. Subgroup differences indicated unique patterns of risk behavior across gender, ethnic and geographic subgroups. Findings are discussed with regard to prevention and treatment implications of high-risk behaviors among alcoholic inpatients.