Intravenous Drug Use and the AIDS Epidemic: Findings from a 20-City Sample of Arrestees

This study identifies characteristics of arrestees at risk for AIDS and assesses the effects of knowledge of AIDS on needle sharing among those who inject drugs. Many of the intravenous drug users—particularly those with multiple sex partners—report that AIDS risk has had no effect on their needle-sharing behavior. A large fraction of those who report that they have altered their behavior in response to AIDS risk nonetheless continue to share needles. These findings indicate that the effectiveness of AIDS counseling in reducing high-risk drug use behaviors among arrestees may depend on the availability of drug treatment.