Use of and Exposure to HIV Prevention Programs and Services by Persons at High Risk for HIV

Abstract

Although HIV information is widely available in this country, little is known about how commonly used HIV prevention activities reach persons at highest risk for HIV. In this paper, we describe the extent to which HIV prevention strategies reach a sample of high-risk persons and whether such exposure correlates with having been tested for HIV. Data are from the 2000 HIV Testing Survey, an anonymous interview study of men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDU), and high-risk heterosexuals (HRH), recruited from appropriate venues in seven states and New York City. We report the proportion of persons exposed to three types of interventions: information (media messages, brochures), counseling or skills-building (group counseling, role play, calling an AIDS hotline), and prevention supplies (provision of condoms, bleach kits), stratified by HIV testing status (ever, never). Exposure to information interventions was high among 2491 respondents (85%-96%) and did not differ by testing status. Use of counseling or skills-building interventions varied by testing status for IDU (8% untested versus 41% tested, p < 0.01) and HRH (14% versus 20%, p = 0.03) but not MSM (15% versus 23%, p = 0.08). Among tested IDU, those receiving bleach kits were more likely to report consistent bleach use when injecting with nonsterile needles (25% versus 9%, p = 0.003). Exposure to HIV prevention information is high but exposure to counseling or skills-building interventions is less common and more prevalent among those previously tested. Prevention initiatives should focus on counseling and testing, skills-building, and prevention supplies.