Oral

Numerous studies have revealed a relationship between substance use, mental health, housing stability, and HIV. In this session, participants will obtain a better understanding of mental health issues and substance use issues among diverse, vulnerable populations. The focus of the first presentation is the examination of mental health disorders, physical status, and social support among a sample of HIV positive substance abusers, who participated in a 5-year long study. In the second presentation, the presenter will discuss co-occurrence of drug use, mental illness, and HIV among detainees in New York City jails. The presenter will also discuss the outcomes of an HIV prevention program on HIV risk behaviors, attitudes toward protective factors, and accessing health care services. In presentation three, the emphasis is the association among mental health illness, substance abuse, and violence exposure among young men who have sex with men and how these diverse variables have an additive effect on HIV risk. The focus of the fourth presentation will be the variables correlated with poorer mental health among homeless persons who are living with HIV/AIDS. In the final presentation, the presenter will discuss population attributes, use of various health care services, and quality of life among a nationally representative sample of HIV patients with a dual diagnosis of mental health problem or substance abuse problems or both.

Session Objectives: 1. Articulate the prevalence of mental health issues among diverse, vulnerable groups 2. Describe inter and intra-personal variables related to mental health status among diverse, vulnerable groups 3. Discuss factors associated with service use, health outcomes, and HIV risk behaviors diverse, vulnerable groups

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing