[A questionnaire survey of intravenous drug addicts (Moscow, May 1997-January 1998)].
Questionnaires were distributed among users of intravenous drugs (UID) on the basis of Narcological Hospital No. 17 in Moscow and in the streets of the city (altogether, respondents filled in 298 questionnaires in the hospital and 126 questionnaires in the streets). The average age of the respondents was 21-22 years. The sufficiently wide spread of the joint use of injection instruments was noted (35-41%), the ensuing risk could be consciously evaluated by 38% of the respondents in the hospital and 20% in the streets. According to the observation diaries, HIV was not a priority for many UID. Their priorities included the problems of the treatment of hepatitis, abscesses, overdosage/poisoning, etc. Among the hospital respondents and selected street respondents the spread of hepatitis B and C was noted by 30% and 34% respectively. Under hospital conditions testing for HIV gave negative results in 58% and positive results in 5% of the respondents, while 37% of the respondents stated than they had never been tested. Among street respondents, 62% stated that they had negative results of testing and 39% stated that they had never been tested. The conclusion has been made that the realization of prophylactic programs may augment the level of knowledge concerning risks linked with the intravenous use of drugs, thus giving motivation to UID either to stop their use or to avoid contamination of the blood with HIV while using them.
Riley
B
B
Médecins sans Frontières, Moscow, Russia.
Mel'nikov
V
V
Anreebva
T
T
Baĭal'
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009031:Moscow; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*