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Objectives:

To evaluate whether a behavioral intervention, which taught peer education skills, could reduce injection and sexual risk behaviors associated with primary HIV and hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) among young injection drug users (IDU).

Design:

We conducted a randomized controlled trial involving HIV and HCV antibody-negative IDU, aged 15–30 years, recruited in five United States cities. A six-session, small-group, cognitive behavioral, skills-building intervention in which participants were taught peer education skills (n= 431) was compared with a time-equivalent attention control (n= 423). Baseline visits included interviews for sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors during the previous 3 months; HIV and HCV antibody testing; and pre/posttest counselling. Procedures were repeated 3 and 6 months postintervention.

Results:

The intervention produced a 29% greater decline in overall …