Abstract

PIP: A field interview was conducted among 325 female sex partners (FSPs) of male injecting drug users (IDUs) in New York City and Long Beach, California, to assess FSPs¿ source of HIV information; attitudes and beliefs regarding the disease and condom use; and risk behaviors. Findings revealed that the subjects, whose only current risk was sexual contact with a drug-injecting partner, were mostly Latino women (62%) or African American women (29%) in their early to mid 30s. One-third had a history with injecting drug use and one in six had previously traded sex for money or drugs. Most of them were presently at-risk for HIV infection; and reported little or no condom use during sexual contact with a male IDU partner. In comparison with FSPs in Long Beach, FSPs in New York: were more knowledgeable about HIV transmission; perceived themselves as being at-risk for exposure to HIV from having unprotected vaginal intercourse with their main partners; have positive attitudes toward condom use; perceived social pressure in using condoms with their main partners; and were more exposed to HIV information from mass media, small media and interpersonal resources. The study generally indicated that FSPs in Long Beach and New York are reachable and reported attitudes and knowledge that support the use of condoms with their main partners.