Hitting up in the top end: characteristics of needle exchange clients in Darwin.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about injecting drug use (IDU) and blood-borne viral (BBV) infection in rural Australia.


METHODS
These repeat cross-sectional studies were conducted during a two-week period in July and October-November 1998 at the Darwin needle exchange, with 129 and 121 respondents respectively.


RESULTS
The commonest drug of choice was heroin, but the commonest drug injected was morphine. Self-reported sharing of needles and syringes was uncommon. Self-reported serostatus for HIV was high (8% and 11.4% respectively), but seemingly mostly associated with sexual rather than IDU risk; for hepatitis C (HCV) status, these were 54% and 37%. Among IDUs of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) background, who made up 14% of the first round respondents, patterns of IDU and of BBV infection were the same as among non-ATSI respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
These surveys reveal patterns of IDU in Darwin that have both similarities and differences with those in the major urban centres in Australia. In the absence of a comprehensive methadone maintenance program, many participate in a more or less informal morphine substitution program. HIV is present among these IDUs, and the risks of further sexual transmission may be high.


CONCLUSIONS
These surveys confirm the presence among injecting drug users in Darwin of HIV, HBV and HCV, and of the risk for further spread of these viruses. Control of blood-borne virus transmission among IDUs requires an even greater commitment to abolishing sharing of needles and syringes, and therefore continued support and enhancement of needle and syringe availability.
Roberts
C
C
Health for Injectors in the Northern Territory, Northern Territory AIDS Council, Darwin. goodhint@octa4.net.au
Crofts
N
N
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires