Consistent condom use in relationships between seropositive injecting drug users and sex partners who do not inject drugs

Abstract

Self-reported condom use by IDU in New York, with its relatively mature epidemic, appears to be concentrated where it may most reduce the spread of HIV to non-IDU heterosexuals, i.e., in relationships between infected IDU and non-IDU partners. Differential condom use by serostatus and by partners' drug injection should be incorporated into mathematical models of the HIV epidemic. Causes of the high level of condom use in this subset of relationships may include drug injector altruism and pressure by sex partners; prevention programs should develop ways to use both of these factors to motivate increased condom use.