Condom Use Among Male Injecting-Drug Users—New York City, 1987-1990

Abstract

As part of the Centers for Disease Controls AIDS Community Demonstration Projects a study on the condom use of male intravenous drug users was conducted in New York Citys Lower East Side in 1987-90. The overall aim of the study was identification of ways of reducing the heterosexual transmission of HIV. In 1991 22% of women in the US with AIDS reported sexual intercourse with male intravenous drug users as their major risk factor. The 450 study subjects were recruited by former addictions outreach workers and were offered monetary compensation as well as a variety of medical and social services. 37% were white 32% were black and the remaining 31% were Hispanic. 53% were 30-39 years of age and 74% had not completed high school. Of the 165 participants who consented to HIV testing 85 (52%) were HIV seropositive. 1913 respondents (43%) reported never use of condoms 139 (31%) claimed to always use condoms and 118 (26%) used condoms some of the time. Men with steady and casual sex partners were more likely to report occasional condom use than those with only steady or only casual sex partners. Consistent condom use was more common (72%) among men with casual partners than those with steady partners (30%). The factors most strongly associated with steady condom use were having peers who engaged in safe sex practices and the adoption of regimens aimed at reducing the risk of injection-related HIV transmission e.g. cleaning needles with bleach or use of only new needles. These findings suggest that need for 3 strategies: 1) greater emphasis on condom use promotion among men who are in primary relationships; 2) use of peer outreach and group methods to maximize the positive impact of social influence on condom acceptance and 3) messages that link both drug injected-related and sexual modes of HIV prevention.