title: [Prevention of AIDS in drug addicts in Switzerland: an encouraging development].
abstract: Switzerland has adopted a prevention strategy including the promotion of non-sharing injection material and use of condoms. The access to sterile equipment has been made easier, but regional differences still exist. Studies conducted between 1989 and 1992 among drug users in different Swiss regions are reviewed in order to examine if progress in prevention occurred. Syringe sharing diminished everywhere, but rather high sharing rates persist where sterile material is less accessible. Condom use increased, but the situation is still unsatisfactory considering the high HIV prevalence among i.v. drug users. Where several surveys have been conducted consecutively, a stabilization of HIV prevalence was observed. This suggests a slowing down of the progression of the epidemic among drug users. These results, obtained in few years, are encouraging in the light of the pessimism which prevailed at the beginning of the epidemic about the ability of drug users to adopt preventive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Institut universitaire de médecine sociale et préventive/UEPP Lausanne.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dubois-Arber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeannin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meystre-Agostino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gruet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paccaud
mesh_terms: D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D016485:Needle Sharing; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013557:Switzerland
vernacular_title: Prévention du sida chez les toxicomanes en Suisse: une évolution encourageante.