Health-related service utilization and HIV risk behaviors among HIV infected injection drug users and crack smokers

This study was designed to assess utilization of health-related services and HIV risk related behaviors by HIV infected drug users one year prior to and two years following the availability of Ryan White Title I funding. Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 777 drug injectors and crack smokers from five US cities were surveyed, over three waves of data collection, about their use of drug treatment, medical services, housing, mental health, and case management and about their sex and drug-related risk behaviors. For all service categories and in each wave, including the year prior to Title I funding, HIV risk behaviors were lower among those who used health-related services, with the exception of housing. Use of services did not increase significantly following the disbursement of Title I funds except for housing and case management. These findings suggest that it may be necessary to increase the attractiveness of health-related services, not just funding for services, for HIV infected substance abusers. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.