Effects of walking on cigarette craving, nicotine withdrawal symptoms and affect in smokers with schizophrenia

Abstract

Aims: Sexual risk behavior is common among substance abusers. To effectively target sexual risk behaviors for intervention in treatment programs, it is important to have a rapid and accurate measure of sexual risk. This study compares two dichotomous ratings of unprotected sex (Y/N) among women in outpatient substance abuse treatment who participated in a NIDA Clinical Trials Network HIV sexual risk reduction intervention: (1) any unprotected sex during vaginal or anal sex occasions in the past 3months versus and (2) unprotected sex at last sexual occasion. Methods: 363 sexually active women with a main or non-main male partner(s) from 12 methadone maintenance or psychosocial outpatient treatment programs were included. Unprotected sex in the last 3 months (dichotomized as yes/no) and unprotected sex at last occasion (yes/no), combined across 3 time points (baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow up), were compared for congruence. Results: Considering sexual occasions with main male partners (n=787occasions), 87.8%of the sample reportedunprotected sex in the past 3 months compared to 93.1% reporting unprotected sex at last occasion. Only 1.3% (n=10)were incongruent (reported unprotected sex at last sexual occasion but consistent protection during the last 3 months). Considering sexual occasions with non-main partners (n=182), 68.1% of the sample reported unprotected sex at last occasion, compared to 61.5% reporting unprotected sex in the past 3 months. 8 results (6.5%) were incongruent. Conclusions: Dichotomous ratings of unprotected sex at last sexual occasion and unprotected sex in the past 3 months similarly categorized the vast majority of women in substance abuse treatment programs. In busy substance abuse treatment programs, a single question about last sexual occasion could efficiently identify the presence of sexual risk behavior, and provide a basis for selected sexual risk reduction intervention. Financial support: This study was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network grants: U10 DA13035 (Edward Nunes, PI).