Adherence to methadone is associated with a lower level of HIV-related risk behaviors in drug users.
There have been limited studies on the potential role of methadone treatment in HIV prevention in Asia. Over an 8-week period, we assessed the profiles of drug-taking and HIV risk behaviors, and tried to identify their relationships with methadone adherence in 690 clients who attended Hong Kong's methadone treatment program. In the preceding month, 71% of respondents reported using drugs and two-thirds of those respondents who had injected drugs at some time in their lives injected then. Infrequent clients who attended methadone clinics <2 times in the previous week were twice more likely to have injected drugs in the last month and six times more likely to have >5 injections in the last week than frequent clinic attendees. Also, clients taking <60 mg methadone daily were twice more likely to have >5 injections in the last week than those taking > or = 60 mg methadone. The findings called for further studies on harm reduction programs for HIV prevention among drug users in Asian countries.
Wong
Ka-hing
KH
Special Preventive Programme, Department of Health 5/F, Yaumatei Jockey Club Clinic, 145 Battery Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong. khwong@dhspp.net
Lee
Shui-shan
SS
Lim
Wei-ling
WL
Low
Hon-kei
HK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone