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. 2008 Jan 1;92(1-3):296-300.
doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.07.013. Epub 2007 Sep 11.

HIV risk behavior among patients with co-occurring bipolar and substance use disorders: associations with mania and drug abuse

Christina S Meade  1 , Fiona S Graff, Margaret L Griffin, Roger D Weiss
Affiliations

HIV risk behavior among patients with co-occurring bipolar and substance use disorders: associations with mania and drug abuse

Christina S Meade et al. Drug Alcohol Depend. .

Abstract

Background: Bipolar and substance use disorders frequently co-occur, and both are associated with impulsivity, impaired judgment, and risk-taking.

Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) describe the rates of HIV sexual and drug risk behaviors among patients with co-occurring bipolar and substance use disorders, (2) test whether acute mania, psychiatric severity, and drug severity independently predict HIV risk, and (3) examine the relationship between specific substance dependencies and sexual risk behaviors.

Method: Participants (N=101) were assessed for psychiatric diagnoses, substance abuse, and HIV risk behavior using structured clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires.

Results: The majority (75%) were sexually active in the past 6 months and reported high rates of sexual risk behaviors, including unprotected intercourse (69%), multiple partners (39%), sex with prostitutes (24%, men only), and sex trading (10%). In a multivariate linear regression model, recent manic episode, lower psychiatric severity, and greater drug severity were independent predictors of total HIV risk. Cocaine dependence was associated with increased risk of sex trading.

Conclusions: Results underscore the importance of HIV prevention for this population.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Rates of HIV risk behaviors in the current sample and the general U.S. adult population. (a) Among sexually-active participants only, (b) among men only, (c) from the National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey (Smith, 1998), (d) from the National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6 (Chandra et al., 2005; Martinez et al., 2006), (e) from the National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6 (Anderson et al., 2006), (f) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA, 2005).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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