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The Context of HIV Risk Among Drug Users and Their Sexual Partners

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7.<br />

also can help youths explore <strong>and</strong> commit to personal projects <strong>and</strong><br />

encourage a future orientation.<br />

In addition to the necessary service interventions, a research agenda<br />

is needed to detail the risk behaviors associated with<br />

methamphetamine use <strong>and</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> transmission. Longitudinal field<br />

studies must be conducted, following youth in depth <strong>and</strong> over time to<br />

ascertain strategies individuals have employed for moderating or<br />

discontinuing their drug-use habits. Specific attention must be given<br />

to identifying <strong>and</strong> chronicling the “turning points“ in their drug-using<br />

patterns <strong>and</strong> sexual careers. <strong>The</strong>se turning points may be the only<br />

times when interventions <strong>and</strong> outreach programs can be truly<br />

effective.<br />

NOTES<br />

1. G. Cajetan Luna has conducted local, national, <strong>and</strong> international<br />

research <strong>and</strong> policy development on street youth <strong>and</strong> AIDS for 12<br />

years (Luna 1987, 1991; Luna <strong>and</strong> Rotheram-Borus 1992). He<br />

worked out <strong>of</strong> the main San Francisco youth service agencies. He<br />

interviewed youth in natural locations <strong>and</strong> studied their friends living<br />

with <strong>HIV</strong> or contacts who were not clients <strong>of</strong> service agencies. All<br />

but one <strong>of</strong> these youth were currently using methamphetamines.<br />

None was receiving experimental AIDS treatments; all believed that<br />

their drug use was not detrimental to their <strong>HIV</strong> status; <strong>and</strong> all lived<br />

on a day-to-day basis. Mark is typical <strong>of</strong> the youth Luna interviewed.<br />

Toby Marotta has been studying sexual <strong>and</strong> drug-using subcultures in<br />

San Francisco since 1976 (Marotta et al. 1982). While doing<br />

ethnography with youth living with <strong>HIV</strong> in San Francisco, he has<br />

been interviewing moderate <strong>and</strong> heavy speed users for the first<br />

behavioral study funded by the National Institute <strong>of</strong> Mental Health<br />

entitled “Ice <strong>and</strong> Methamphetamine Use: A Three Year<br />

Exploration.” Marotta employed longtime key informants to access<br />

<strong>and</strong> study youth living with <strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> AIDS in the downtown area<br />

who were not attending youth service agencies. To compare the lives<br />

<strong>of</strong> these youth with those who receive support, he subsequently is<br />

studying youth served through the Public Health Department. Jim<br />

<strong>and</strong> Rob are typical <strong>of</strong> the youth he has been studying through both<br />

informal <strong>and</strong> formal channels.<br />

178

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