BACKGROUND Few investigations have assessed risk behaviours and social-structural contexts of risk among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Northeast India, where injecting drug use is the major route of HIV transmission. Investigations of risk environments are needed to inform development of effective risk reduction interventions. METHODS This mixed methods study of HIV-positive IDUs in Manipur ...

OBJECTIVE The role of needle and syringe sharing behavior of injection drug users (IDUs) in spreading of blood-borne infections - specially HIV/AIDS - is well known. However, very little is known in this regard from Iran. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and associates of needle and syringe sharing among Iranian IDUs. METHODS In a secondary analysis of a sample of drug dep...

BACKGROUND Australia is at a fork in the road with the possibility of a needle-syringe exchange program (NSP) to be introduced at the new prison in the ACT. However, the current situation is characterised by non-engagement from major stakeholders. We explore why informed discussion will not be enough to convince prison officers, policy makers and the wider community of the benefits of prison-ba...

BACKGROUND The Japanese Government settled a class litigation case with hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers who claim to have been infected through needle/syringe sharing in childhood mass vaccination with a blanket compensation agreement. However, it is difficult to estimate how many of the present HBV carriers were infected horizontally from mass vaccination and how many were infected vertically...

BACKGROUND Despite high levels of equipment distribution through Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSPs) in Australia, the levels of reuse of equipment among people who inject drugs remain concerning. This paper used an exploratory analysis to examine the needs of NSP client that could be addressed by NSPs to enhance service impact and blood-borne virus risk practices. METHODS People who inject ...

BACKGROUND Coverage is used as one indicator of needle and syringe program (NSP) effectiveness. At the individual level, coverage is typically defined as an estimate of the proportion of a person who injects drugs' (PWID) injecting episodes that utilise a sterile syringe. In this paper, we explore levels of individual syringe coverage and its changes over time. METHODS Data were extracted fro...

Harm reduction behind bars: Prison-based needle and syringe programs By Emily van der Meulen and Sandra Ka Hon Chu HIV and hepatitis C are serious public health issues in Canadian prisons. Rates of these infections in federal institutions are considerably higher than in the general population. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) currently provides prisoners with condoms, methadone maintena...