Successfully Integrating an HIV Risk Reduction Intervention into a Community-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Abstract

A number of evidence-based HIV risk reduction interventions are now widely available to clinicians. However, difficulties with intervention transportability have historically impeded the integration of evidence-based interventions into clinical settings. In this article, we discuss one successful approach to transportability through appropriate intervention selection, adaptation, placement, and evaluation. Our intervention adaptation process required substantially reducing the content and duration of an evidence-based intervention. Findings from 226 assessed participants suggested significant drug- and sex-related risk reduction outcomes, particularly among participants at greatest risk. Results point to a need to examine the relative costs/benefits of comprehensive, evidence-based interventions vs. shortened, adapted versions thereof.

Keywords:

• Behavioral intervention
• HIV risk reduction
• injection drug use
• intervention transportability
• substance abuse treatment