Shiela M. Strauss, PhD¹, Janetta Astone, PhD¹, Don C. Des Jarlais, PhD², and Holly Hagan, PhD¹. (1) National Development and Research Institutes, Inc, 71 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, (212) 845-4409, shiela.strauss@ndri.org, (2) Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center, 1st Avenue and 16th Street, New York, NY 10003

Because of their risky drug use and sexual practices, drug users are especially vulnerable to contracting HIV, and drug treatment programs are uniquely situated to test drug users for the virus. Information about HIV testing in drug treatment programs is limited, however, and often describes this critical service provision in individual treatment facilities. This paper therefore compares the provision and patients’ use of opportunities for HIV testing during 2001 in a nationwide sample of methadone (N=95) and drug-free treatment programs (N=161) in the U.S. Findings indicate that a greater proportion of methadone than drug free programs offered HIV testing (98% vs. 87%; p<.01), and to a greater proportion of their patients (95% vs. 78%; p<.001). In addition, a greater proportion of methadone than drug-free program patients was tested for HIV while in the treatment program (48% vs. 38%; p<.05), and of those tested, a greater proportion was tested on-site or at a program-affiliated facility (72% vs. 48%; p<.001). In all, 99% of the methadone programs and 80% of the drug-free programs encouraged patients who tested HIV negative to be retested on a regular basis (p<.001). Given the continued risks of drug users for contracting and transmitting HIV, more drug-free programs need to offer HIV testing to more patients, and to encourage a greater proportion of them to test for HIV regularly. Providing HIV testing on-site is an encouraging strategy to increase the number of patients who submit specimens for testing, especially given the widespread availability of saliva tests.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to (
• describe differences between methadone and drug-free treatment programs in the U.S. with regard to the provision of HIV testing and encouragement for retesting regularly; (
• describe differences between methadone and drug-free U.S. treatment programs concerning patients' use of the opportunity for HIV testing, and the extent to which this testing was performed on-site at the treatment program; and (
• articulate gaps in the provision and patients' utilization of HIV testing, especially in drug-free programs

Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.