Comparison of perceptions of HIV risk and risky sexual practices among heterosexual cocaine- dependent individuals

Abstract

Aims: Cocaine use is associated with higher prevalence of risky sexual behavior, ultimately leading to a greater risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Our ongoing study compares the perception of risk of HIV and attitudes towards condom use with actual sexual practices in heterosexual cocaine dependent (CD) individuals and non-drug using controls. Methods: To date 23 CD individuals and 18 controls have been recruited. Selfreport measures of attitudes towards sexual behaviors and perceptions of risk were measured via Sexual Risks Scale-Attitudes Towards Condom Use (SRSA), Limiting HIV Risk Behavior (LHRB), Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA), Perceived Risk HIV and Risky Sex Scale (RSS). Results: CD participants reported having sex 7.6±1.5 (mean± S.E.M.) days out of the last 30 whereas controls reported having sex 4.0±1.4 days of the last 30 (p=0.11). Also, CD participants reported having 1.6±1.0 sexual partners while controls reported having 1.0±0.0 sexual partners in the last 30 days (p=0.086). CD participants had more negative attitudes towards condom use as determined by the SRSA (p=0.047). There were no significant differences between CD participants and controls with respect to perception of risk following unprotected and protected oral, vaginal, and anal sex regardless of HIV status (all ps >0.05), with the exception of HIV negative status where CD participants (18.7±4.9) associated more risk of HIV than control participants (5.6±3.1) during unprotected vaginal sex (p=0.05). Conclusions: Despite minimal differences in perception of risk of HIV between groups, heterosexual CD participants are more likely to engage inmore sex acts withmore partners thanmatched controls. Additional data for this project includes evaluations of neural responses during a sexual discounting task. Financial support: National Institute on Drug Abuse: 5R01DA030241. This work was conducted at, and supported by the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX.