BACKGROUND Infections with blood-borne viruses are a major health problem among illicit drug users. There is little information about infection rates and risk factors for hepatitis virus B, C or the human immunodeficiency virus in drug users in Israel. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of HCV, HBV and HIV infections in a large cohort of drug users in Israel; to compare rates of HCV, HBV ...

There is evidence that HIV-positive injecting drug users benefit less than other risk groups from highly active antiretroviral therapy that has been available since 1996. In this multicentre European study the impact of the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the progression rates to AIDS and death among injecting drug users with a documented date of HIV seroconversion is st...

People who use drugs too often face stigma, discrimi­ nation, and mistreatment in HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Some societies consider such users less deserving of compassion than others with HIV who are not drug users, because users' health problems are self­inflicted or their substance use is judged as a moral or personal failing. Even among health­care providers, many preconceptions ...

BACKGROUND Childhood trauma has been reported as a possible cause of future substance abuse in some countries. This study reports the prevalence of childhood trauma and examines its association with psychological distress among injecting drug users from mainland China. METHODOLOGY The study was conducted in three government-operated drug rehabilitation facilities in Shanghai, China in 2007. T...

BACKGROUND Hai Phong, located in northern Vietnam, has become a high HIV prevalence province among Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) since the infection shifted from the southern to the northern region of the country. Previous research indicates high levels of drug and sex related risk behaviour especially among younger IDUs. Our recent qualitative research provides a deeper understanding of HIV risk...

Indonesia is facing one of the most rapidly growing HIV-epidemics in Asia. Risk behaviour associated with injecting drug use, such as sharing contaminated needles, is the main risk factor for HIV infection. Among the general population the prevalence of HIV-infection is still low (0.2%), but up to 50% or more of the estimated 145.000 - 170.000 injecting drug users are already HIV-positive. Over...

This article discusses the changes in injecting drug use from 1998 to 2003 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Rapid Situation Assessment and Response methodology was used to obtain the information. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were triangulated: 140 current IDUs and 35 sex partners of injection drug users (IDUs) were surveyed; 17 in-depth interviews with the surveyed IDUs and 2 focus gr...

BACKGROUND Increasing numbers of injecting drug users are presenting to primary care and a growing number of general practices are specifically providing care for homeless people. Injecting drug users are at the greatest risk of hepatitis C infection and homeless drug misusers, because of their drug-taking behaviour and patterns, have been identified as being at greater risk of harm of blood-bo...