Methamphetamine-using felons: psychosocial and behavioral characteristics.

Methamphetamine (meth) users with felony convictions may be important vectors in the HIV/AIDS pandemic because of their drug and sexual risk histories. This study gathered personal, psychosocial, and behavioral data from 450 HIV-negative, heterosexually identified, meth-using men and women. Significant differences were found between felons and non-felons in meth use patterns, contexts and reasons for use, involvement of social networks in meth use, and certain psychosocial and sexual risk variables. Our findings suggest that targeting meth use patterns and motivations, social networks, and sexual risk behaviors of meth-using felons may help to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission in and outside the prison system.