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

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<strong>The</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> rational thought separated from emotions described by<br />

Bowen may be reflected in the following observation. When some<br />

patients find out they have AIDS, they experience it as something<br />

someone did to them. As a result, they are not motivated to protect others<br />

through condom use or not sharing needles.<br />

A low level <strong>of</strong> self-differentiation keeps people from advocating for<br />

themselves. When diagnosed with being <strong>HIV</strong> positive, some patients in<br />

hospitals hear about it from medical students or interns whom they do not<br />

identify as their physician. Sometimes, the diagnosis is given when the<br />

patient is being discharged, <strong>and</strong> no thorough information is given.<br />

Another phenomenon is the attitudes <strong>of</strong> medical <strong>and</strong> nursing staff toward<br />

the patients or clients. Staff may feel as if patients “do this to<br />

themselves” <strong>and</strong> may make comments like “Why don’t you go to another<br />

hospital or medical facility?” This response from staff contributes to poor<br />

self-esteem <strong>and</strong> perpetuates a sense <strong>of</strong> hopelessness. Patients may go<br />

back to using drugs to make themselves more comfortable, rather than<br />

feeling the anger, hurt, <strong>and</strong> disillusionment. Persons with high levels <strong>of</strong><br />

self-differentiation would be able to negotiate the medical care system to<br />

avoid or at least confront such insensitivities.<br />

Finally, a consistent theme in research literature on <strong>HIV</strong> risk in women is<br />

that treatment for drug abuse can make an impact on high-risk behaviors<br />

for <strong>HIV</strong> transmission among female drug users. <strong>The</strong>refore, drug<br />

treatment for women is a crucial intervention to provide the context <strong>and</strong><br />

skills whereby women can lower their risk <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> infection.<br />

REFERENCES<br />

Bowen, M. Family <strong>The</strong>rapy in Clinical Practice. New York: Jason<br />

Aronson, 1978.<br />

Centers for Disease Control <strong>and</strong> Prevention. <strong>HIV</strong>/AIDS Surveillance<br />

Report: Year End Edition. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control <strong>and</strong><br />

Prevention, 1993a.<br />

Centers for Disease Control <strong>and</strong> Prevention. U.S. AIDS cases reported<br />

through March 1993. <strong>HIV</strong>/AIDS Surveillance Report 5(1):3-19.<br />

Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control <strong>and</strong> Prevention, 1993b.<br />

Corby, N.; Wolitski, R.; Thornton-Johnson, S.; <strong>and</strong> Tanner, N. AIDS<br />

knowledge, perception <strong>of</strong> risk, <strong>and</strong> behaviors among female sex<br />

partners <strong>of</strong> injection drug users. AIDS Educ Prev 3(4):353-366, 1991.<br />

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