HIV infection among injecting drug users in the South Australian methadone program.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate risk factors for infection with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in South Australia.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study comparing HIV-infected and uninfected IDUs who had received methadone at any time between January 1981 and June 1991.


RESULTS
Most HIV-infected clients were diagnosed between 1985 and 1987. Men were more likely to be infected than women. A history of imprisonment was associated with a higher risk of infection on univariate but not multivariate analysis. Infected IDUs on average were three years younger than noninfected IDUs when they first injected drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention programs should target young drug injectors. Prisons are important places to institute prevention programs.
Gaughwin
M D
MD
Drug and Alcohol Resource Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA.
Ali
R
R
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
D008691:Methadone