[HIV-positive drug addicts treated at the Copenhagen City Drug Dependency Clinic 1986-1992].
The Copenhagen City Drug Dependency Clinic at the former Rudolph Bergh's Hospital was established in 1986 as part of the measures taken by the municipality of Copenhagen to control the spread of HIV/AIDS among the intravenous drug addicts in the City of Copenhagen. The aim was to attract those HIV-positive drug addicts who were in no formal treatment for their drug addiction at other treatment centres and to retain them in treatment for a longer period acknowledging the fact that no causal cure exists for either the drug addiction or for AIDS. The goal of the treatment was to reduce HIV-risk behaviour i.e. sharing needles and syringes and unprotected sex with multiple partners and to reduce the adverse medical and social consequences of continued drug abuse. The treatment was supported by methadone treatment. During the five year period of 1986-92 a total of 196 HIV-positive drug addicts were referred to the clinic. A little more than half of those referred for the first through the third time and five out of six referred for the fourth time were admitted to treatment at the clinic. Half of the 126 first-time treated patients were retained in treatment for up to one year, while the rest were retained in treatment from one to five years. The mean time spent in treatment at the clinic was shorter for the relatively few patients who were admitted for the second time than for those admitted for the first time. At the end of the study 39 patients (20%) had died, most of them for non-AIDS related reasons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hjorther
A B
AB
Psykiatrisk afdeling, Kommunehospitalet, København.
Andersen
L B
LB
Hetmar
O
O
Jepsen
P W
PW
D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
HIV-smittede stofmisbrugere behandlet ved Københavns Kommunes Ambulatorium for Stofmisbrugere 1986-1992.