5th International AIDS Conference Montreal, Quebec, Canada — Jun 4-9, 1989

Int Conf AIDS 1989 Jun 4-9; 5:177 (abstract no. A.598)

Stull C, Deren S, Graves F, Sufian M, Friedman SR, Tross S; Narcotic and Drug Research Inc., New York, New York, USA

OBJECTIVE: Ex-addict workers are widely used for AIDS outreach to IVDUs and their sex partners. Our objective is to describe the characteristics of indigenous ex-addict outreach workers hired to provide AIDS prevention and education information to intravenous drug users and their sex partners in New York City, and to detail some of the satisfactions and dissatisfactions they encounter as employees.

METHODS: A total of 66 outreach workers were employed by Narcotic and Drug Research Inc. during 1986-1988 to provide AIDS risk reduction information to IV drug users and their sex partners. Information was available through interviews with the 27 outreach workers currently employed by the agency and a review of agency records for all outreach workers.

RESULTS: Of the 66 workers, approximately two-thirds (65%) were male and their ethnic composition was 58% Black, 39% Hispanic and 3% White. Most outreach workers were ex-addicts, recruited from various treatment modalities. Staff turnover at the end of one year of employment was 54%, i.e., of the 52 workers hired in 1986 and 1987, more than half were no longer employed by the organization within one year after their hiring date. Information on the satisfactions and dissatisfactions encountered by these employees is being collected and the data are being analyzed focusing on organizational issues (e.g., career paths available) and individual issues (e.g., burnout).

CONCLUSIONS: The relatively high turnover rate of these employees indicates that further study of the satisfactions and dissatisfactions experienced by these workers is needed, so that measures to address the dissatisfactions can be incorporated in employee policies.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sexual Partners, Substance Abuse, Intravenous, Personal Satisfaction, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Hispanic Americans, Blacks, Whites, Personnel Turnover, Social Welfare, Emotions, Substance-Related Disorders, Interviews, New York City, Male, manpower, ICA5

1989-06-04
A598

Copyright © 1989 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.