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In order to examine the relative importance of general individual orientations (mastery and self-esteem) and specific coping styles with regard to psychological distress among women with HIV, data are examined from a pilot study involving in-depth face-to-face interviews with 32 HIV+ Latinas receiving care at 4 clinics serving the South Texas population. Interviews were conducted to provide preliminary psychometric information on coping and distress instruments in this predominantly Mexican American population as well as to examine psychosocial factors related to individual adjustment to HIV among Latina females. Refusal rates were low in this study (approximately 10%) and measurement instruments generally had acceptable internal consistency reliability. Results of exploratory multiple regression analyses suggest that self-esteem and mastery may be more salient predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms than are specific coping strategies.

Studies of accidental needlestick exposure to blood containing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have shown that the volume of blood in an exposure is a strong predictor of subsequent infection. Illicit drug injectors, a group at elevated risk for HIV transmission, use syringes manufactured in two styles, one of which (the integral cannula type) retains substantially less blood after intravenous use than the other (the detachable needle type). In this report, we examine some of the factors associated with use of syringes with detachable needles among drug injectors in San Antonio, Texas using data from epidemiological surveys, ethnographic studies, and historical observations. We compare personal history of syringe type use with HIV serostatus in a sample of 501 active drug injectors interviewed and screened for HIV in 1997-1998. Ninety-nine percent of these respondents reported that they currently used only integral cannula syringes, but 13% had used a syringe with a detachable needle within the past 2 years, and 37% had used one in their lifetime. Only 9% had ever used one > or = 20 times in a year. Hispanic (Mexican American) respondents were significantly less likely than other ethnic groups to have ever used a detachable needle syringe. HIV seroprevalence was < 1% among heterosexual injectors who had never used a detachable needle syringe compared to 4% among those who had used one (p<0.05).

gesting interventions should emphasize individual risk perceptions and alcohol expectancies. Understanding these relationships between race/ethnicity and HIV risk behaviors may help design culturally specific intervention and service programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Evaluates a causal model of the Health Belief Model in HIV infections. Emphasis on possible indirect paths linking distal demographic susceptibility variables to HIV infections; Ethnic comparison of the data; Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS.

The article presents information on a 2-day sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV and AIDS curriculum for primary care service providers, and compares the effectiveness of traditional large-scale continuing medical education (CME) conferences with smaller scale clinic workshop (CWs). The rationale for the integrated STD and HIV 2-day curriculum designed for primary care service providers is that HIV and STDs have common modes of transmission and have high likelihood of coinfection. The evaluation design for the study involved pretest assessments using a self-administered evaluation instrument sent to participants prior to the interventions. Two- and 10-month follow-up assessments were conducted to examine short versus long-term program effects. The study found that the smaller scale CWs were providing greater potential for individual participation in the educational process and, as well, greater potential impact on clinic practice given that multiple participants have been trained from a given site.

The article presents information on the efforts of a organization in AIDS control. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Xchange Point is a nonprofit community-based AIDS services organization founded in 1996 as a street-based outreach and SEP. Trained community health outreach workers have conducted street-based, roving outreach in four areas of Cleveland on a weekly basis since the program's inception. A substance abuse services has been the rise of the harm-reduction model and non- abstinence-based services. Harm reduction is based on the suppositions that drug use will continue to exist for most users and that safer use is always possible. The first syringe exchange program (SEP) was established in the U.S. in 1988 in Tacoma, Washington. There is strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of SEPs with regard to decreased HIV- infection rates, decreased incidence of sharing of injection equipment, and increased frequency of the disinfection of injection equipment.