The trading of sex for money or drugs, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and HIV-related risk behaviors among multisubstance using alcoholic inpatients.

Data from 802 multisubstance using alcoholic inpatients (481 men and 321 women) were analyzed to determine whether trading sex for money or drugs was associated with self-reported STDs, self-reported HIV infection, and perceptions of current and future probable infection. Logistic and ordinal polychotomous regression models were used to evaluate the statistical significance of sex trade on STDs and HIV-related behaviors while controlling for other potential confounding variables such as cocaine abuse and i.v. drug use. Involvement in sex trade was associated with higher cocaine abuse, with STDs, and with self-reported HIV infection. The multivariate (adjusted) models supported the significance of sex trade with regard to STDs and HIV-related behaviors. The findings indicated that, among these multisubstance using alcoholic inpatients, high levels of trading sex for money or drugs were independently associated with self-reported STDs, a cofactor of HIV infection, as well as self-reported HIV infection and perceptions of risk for infection.