ABSTRACT
There are two epidemics in the gay community – HIV infection and chemical dependency. Rates of chemical dependency are reported to be as much as three times higher for gay men (Pohl, 1988). Further, approximately one-third of all gay men are reported to be chemically dependent (Lohrenz, Connely, Coyne and Spare, 1978; Morales and Graves, 1984), and gay men are 14 to 28 times more likely to be diagnosed with AIDS relative to the general population (Fray, Turner, Klassen and Gagnon, 1989). Due to the proportion of gay men likely to be infected with HIV and the percentages of gay men demonstrating chemical dependency, it is evident that gay men with dual conditions of chemical dependency and HIV infection comprise a sizable population requiring counseling services and targeted intervention strategies.
