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

Female Drug Abusers and the
Context of Their HIV
Transmission Risk Behaviors
Karen Allen
INTRODUCTION
The following dialog is part of a conversation that took place during an
initial interview of a 29-year-old, noninjection drug using (non-IDU),
African-American female at an outpatient drug treatment program.
Counselor: “So you know you are HIV positive?”
Client: “Yes, I just found out and I know it has something to do with
the fact that I had sex a lot.”
Counselor: “How do you feel about being HIV positive?”
Client: “Well, I take it a day at a time. I guess I deal with it okay,
but my main concern is this cocaine. I have got to stop using
drugs! That’s why I tried to commit suicide.”
There was little or no affect in the client’s face when discussing the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis. Emotion was shown
only when discussing drug use. A similar reaction was shown in the
following dialog between a physician and a 41-year-old IDU African-
American female. The interview took place on a medical unit in a
hospital, Because the patient’s energy primarily was given to routines of
her life that were devastating, the impact of receiving a diagnosis of being
HIV positive was not perceived as being devastating.
Physician: “I just wanted to let you know that you are HIV
positive.”
Nurse: “You are not responding. Does this diagnosis upset you?”
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