Homeless people are one of the most vulnerable with regard to HIV transmission. However, most recent research on this population has been carried out on samples from health clinics. We surveyed 390 homeless people in Houston at a day shelter with regard to their HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk behaviors. The sample was 76% African American, 22% Euro-American, with small numbers of Latin Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans: half were born in Texas, and 92% were male. Data indicated that HIV/AIDS knowledge was higher in those who were at higher behavioral risk, although the direction of causality in these cross-sectional data cannot be inferred. African Americans were at slightly higher risk. Compared with previous clinic samples, this sample was older and a higher number (one-third) slept the last night outside. Eighty percent had had an HIV test. Condom use was low with both males and females most commonly not reporting using condoms although more than half had had sexual contact in the past month. Multivariate analysis indicated that ethnicity and HIV/AIDS knowledge were independent predictors of risk behavior. Lifetime risks included one-third who had injected drugs (and shared needles), and nearly 10% had had sex with someone they knew to be HIV seropositive. Lack of future time perspective rather than level of knowledge may be a barrier to reducing HIV risks, and the data are discussed in terms of policy implications and homelessness.

International Journal of STD & AIDS 2000; 11: a145b.1-7