Learning from HIV epidemics among injecting drug users.
HIV/AIDS was the defining issue for international harm reduction during its first twenty years. This issue was marked by strong contrasts: rapid HIV transmission in some populations of injecting drug users, and close to elimination of HIV in other populations; a formidable research base for designing effective HIV programmes and persistent political problems in implementing evidence-based programmes on a public health scale. Elevated rates of HIV infection among ethnic minority drug users have occurred in many different countries. We do not yet have systematic knowledge of how to reduce stigmatization of AIDS or people who use drugs. Nevertheless, international harm reduction for people who use drugs has moved beyond HIV/AIDS to a variety of other health and social problems, while retaining firm bases in science and human rights.
Jarlais
Don C Des
DC
Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center, 160 Water Street, Room 2462, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10038, USA.
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*