title: Needle exchange program participation by anabolic steroid injectors, United States 1998.
abstract: A significant number of people are currently misusing and abusing anabolic steroids. Hepatitis B, C, and HIV have all been documented to occur among anabolic steroid injectors (ASIs), most likely from the sharing of injection equipment. A survey was administered to 42 needle exchange programs (NEPs) from 17 states in the US to determine ASI participation. Sixty percent of the NEPs surveyed reported having at least some ASIs as participants, however, only 512 ASIs were identified among the 36,000 total monthly participants (1.4%). With the expanding number of NEPs in the US, it is possible to reach a higher proportion of ASIs with clean syringes and education, thus offering the means to prevent the spread of infection in this population.
authors.affiliation: The Miriam Hospital and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. josiah_rich@brown.edu
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Foisie
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Towe
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Salas
mesh_terms: D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents