HIV infection among non-injecting drug users entering drug treatment, United States, 1989-1992. Field Services Branch.
OBJECTIVE
To describe HIV seroprevalence among non-injecting drug users (non-IDU) entering sentinel drug treatment centers in the United States.


METHODS
Anonymous, blinded (unlinked) HIV seroprevalence surveys.


METHODS
Sixty-eight sentinel drug treatment centers in 37 United States metropolitan areas.


METHODS
Consecutive sample of clients admitted to sentinel drug treatment centers from January 1989 through December 1992. Of 84,617 clients, 37,633 (44.5%) had used illicit drugs but reported no injecting drug use since 1978.


METHODS
Center-specific, metropolitan area-specific, and national median HIV seroprevalence rates.


RESULTS
National median center-specific HIV seroprevalence among non-IDU was 3.2% (range, 0-15.2%). Rates varied widely by geographic area. Median rates were highest in the northeast (5.6%; range, 0-15.2%), intermediate in the south (3.4%; range, 0.6-8.0%), and generally lower throughout the rest of the country: midwest (1.3%; range, 0-3.1%) and west (1.8%; range, 0-14.5%). When stratified by treatment center, there were few statistically significant differences in seroprevalence among African Americans, Hispanics and whites. The median rate was 3.4% among men and 2.7% among women. Rates among non-IDU were lower than among IDU attending the same drug treatment centers, but consistently higher than among heterosexual patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in the same metropolitan areas.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV seroprevalence among non-IDU entering drug treatment is high in many metropolitan areas. HIV prevention and education efforts in drug treatment centers should target sexual as well as drug-use risk reduction for all clients.
Lehman
J S
JS
Division of HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
Allen
D M
DM
Green
T A
TA
Onorato
I M
IM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
D008691:Methadone