Description of Intervention: AIDS/Drug Injection Prevention

This prevention program was based on social learning principles. The intervention was delivered in four 1- to 1½-hour sessions over a 2-week time period. The intervention was led by two trainers who encouraged a therapeutic atmosphere in which participants felt free to discuss personal problem situations and seek help from the trainers and from their peers. Reduction in non-injected use of illicit drugs was an additional goal of the program. Trainers were clear not to take a condemning/punitive attitude. The emphasis was on recognizing and admitting problems with illicit drug use and then seeking treatment to reduce/eliminate the illicit drug use.

The four sessions covered understanding AIDS, risks of drug use and drug injection, sexual behavior and AIDS, and seeking entry into drug abuse treatment programs. The trainers used presentations, group discussion, and role-play of critical situations like refusing an offer of injection or seeking entry into a treatment program when one's non-injection drug use becomes too heavy.