Effectiveness of Reducing Needle‐Related Risks for HIV Through Indigenous Outreach to Injection Drug Users

This study assesses the efficacy of an intervention model designed to reduce the behaviors that place injection drug users (IDUs) at risk for contracting the human immunodeficiency virus. The authors obtained pre‐ and postintervention interviews of 566 subjects from three cities where the intervention was tested. By use of indigenous outreach workers who targeted their activities within the social networks of IDUs, the intervention model was conducted simultaneously, but not identically, in each site. Although risk was reduced in the three locations, major differences were observed between cities. The results of this study suggest that although behavioral changes were significant and could endure, providing prevention and educational materials without the reinforcing presence of indigenous outreach workers in the community was insufficient.