In 1998, 2,161 Men who have sex with men and use injectable drugs (MSM/IDU) were diagnosed with AIDS--a 37% decline since 1996. This decline is due in part to the availability of more effective HIV treatments in recent years.

Supplemental research points to continued risk behavior among MSM/IDU. Interviews with more than 500 MSM/IDU recently diagnosed with AIDS found that 76% reported having sex with a man and 43% reported sex with a woman in the past 5 years, and nearly half of these did not always use condoms.

Additionally, 34% had injected drugs during the same time period, with 45% reporting sharing needles.