Active Drug-Using Women Use Female-Initiated Barrier Methods to Reduce HIV/STI Risk: Results from a Randomized Trial.

Unlabelled: Background. We tested an original, woman-focused intervention, based on body empowerment, and female-initiated barrier methods, including the female condom (FC) and cervical barriers. Methods.

Correlates of trichomonas prevalence among street-recruited, drug-using women enrolled in a randomized trial.

Objectives: Substance-using women need prevention technologies and programs to reduce risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI). We examined STI prevalence and identified risk correlates for female drug users.

Methods: We used interviewer-administered and computer-assisted surveys, and tested specimens for four, treatable STIs (trichomonas, early syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia) on 198 HIV-seronegative, street-recruited, substance-using women enrolled in a randomized trial to reduce HIV/STI risk.

Mediators of outcome of psychosocial treatments for cocaine dependence.

This study examined endorsement of 12-step philosophy and engagement in recommended 12-step activities as a mediator of the outcomes of individual plus group counseling for cocaine dependence. Assessments of drug use outcomes and the mediator were made at baseline and monthly for 6 months. Engagement in recommended 12-step activities was found to be a partial statistical mediator of drug use outcomes of individual (plus group) drug counseling, but no evidence for change in the mediator preceding change in drug use was found.

Association of depression with viral load, CD8 T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells in women with HIV infection.

Objective: Clinical and epidemiology studies have implicated depression as a risk factor in the morbidity and mortality of many human diseases. This study sought to determine if depression was associated with alterations in cellular immunity variables-specifically, natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 T lymphocytes-in women with HIV infection.

Method: Ninety-three women (63 HIV-seropositive, 30 HIV-seronegative) were studied as part of an ongoing longitudinal study conducted at two sites.