Oral

Rates of HIV/AIDS remain disproportionately high among certain segments of the population (e.g., African Americans injection drug users), thereby indicating a need for new prevention programs. In this session, participants will learn about sexual practices, attitudes, testing rates among underserved populations. In the first presentation, the emphasis will be on delineating the patterns and correlates of HIV risk behaviors among African American and Caucasian youth with substance abuse problems. The second presentation will discuss the level of readiness to change sexual and drug use risk behaviors among a sample of African American youth recruited from a longitudinal investigation. Of particular concern is the delineation of the different influences that self-efficacy and self-esteem have on stimulating readiness to change. In study three, the focus is how to establish/enhance hepatitis screening, testing, prevention and treatment in settings that provide substance use programs as well as HIV services. The fourth study examines the prevalence of HIV and correlates among residents of St. Petersburg, Russia, who inject drugs.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe HIV risk behaviors among injection drug users as a function of race/ethnicity. 2. Articulate attitudes, HIV prevalence, and STI testing behaviors among IDUs. 3. Discuss factors related to changing HIV risk behaviors among IDUs.

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