[The results of conducting a rapid assessment of the situation in relation to intravenous narcotic abuse in the city of Rostov-on-Don].
The main aspects of the spread and intravenous use of drugs in the city, contributing to the transmission of HIV infection among users of intravenous drugs (UID) have been studied. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed among 61 UID; of these, 50 were males (82%) and 11 were females (18%), mainly at the age of 19-35 years. In addition, sociological study was carried out among 582 persons; 61% of them were under 18 years of age, 18% were aged 19-25 years, 13% were aged 26-35 years. The drug users regarded their individual risk of getting HIV infection as insignificant in 23% of cases, slight in 21% of cases, high in 15% of cases, and 15% believed they were at no risk. As shown by the results of the sociological study, 91% of the respondents believed that the problem of drug addiction was topical in the city. The analysis of data obtained from physicians treating drug addicts and from the Head Office of Public Health made it possible to calculate that the number of UID in the city was about 9,000-10,000 persons. Taking into account the results of the rapid evaluation of the situation, the development of the draft program of "diminishing the harm" of the intravenous use of drugs is now in progress.
Kravchenko
V F
VF
Regional Narcological Dispensary, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Dunaev
A G
AG
Golubenko
I A
IA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*