PMID: 9173303Mar 1, 1997Paper

Little HIV risk behavior in drug users during detention in Dutch penitentiaries

Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde
H J van HaastrechtJ A van den Hoek

Abstract

To assess levels of HIV risk behaviour in injecting drug users during and immediately following prison terms in the Netherlands. Descriptive. Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Injecting drug users taking part in a follow-up study on HIV infection were interviewed on injecting drug use and vaginal and anal sexual contact during their last prison term in the 3 years preceding the interview and on injecting drug use in the week following release from prison. A prison term in the preceding 3 years was reported by 188 (41%) of 463 interviewed drug injectors. The mean age of the 188 was 35.5 years: 146 (78%) were males, 63 (34%) had HIV antibodies, and the mean duration of latest prison term was 3.6 months. Some use of cannabis, heroin, or cocaine in prison was reported by 104 (55%), 69 (37%), and 38 (20%) respectively. Five injectors (3%) reported having injected in prison: in 4 cases once and in 1 case 3 times. No sharing of needles and syringes was reported. Vaginal or anal sex was reported by 2 (1%) of the men and none of the women. Relapse to drug injecting during the week following release from prison was reported by 78/186 (42%) participants, in most cases (34%) on the very day of release. Contrary to findi...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Addiction

This feed focuses mechanisms underlying addiction and addictive behaviour including heroin and opium dependence, alcohol intoxication, gambling, and tobacco addiction.

Birth Defects

Birth defects encompass structural and functional alterations that occur during embryonic or fetal development and are present since birth. The cause may be genetic, environmental or unknown and can result in physical and/or mental impairment. Here is the latest research on birth defects.