Prevalence of HIV and associated risk behaviour in attendees at a Dublin needle exchange. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Prevalence of HIV and associated risk behaviour in attendees at a Dublin needle exchange.

Addiction. 1994 May;89(5):603-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/94319279
Johnson Z; O'Connor M; Pomeroy L; Johnson H; Barry J; Scully M; Fitzpatrick E; Eastern Health Board, AIDS Resource Centre, Baggot Street; Hospital, Dublin, Eire.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of HIV infection and assess the level of equipment-sharing and unsafe sexual activity among attendees at a Dublin needle exchange. Using an anonymous unlinked approach, attendees were asked to complete a brief questionnaire and provide a sample of saliva for HIV testing. Of the 144 attendees eligible for inclusion during the study period, 106 agreed to participate and complete a questionnaire, a response rate of 74%. Of the 81 respondents who submitted a usable saliva sample, 14.8% were HIV positive. Half of the respondents claimed that they had not shared equipment during the preceding 28 days, but a third had shared with multiple partners. Half of the respondents claimed that they had multiple sexual partners during the preceding year, but only a quarter said that they always used condoms. The prevalence of HIV infection is similar to that found in routine linked testing of drug users in Ireland. The high level of unsafe injecting and sexual activity makes clear the need for more effective health promotion among drug users in Dublin.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/EPIDEMIOLOGY/PREVENTION & CONTROL/TRANSMISSION Adolescence Adult Child Condoms Female Health Promotion Human HIV Seropositivity/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION Ireland/EPIDEMIOLOGY Male *Needle Sharing *Risk-Taking Sex Behavior Substance Abuse, Intravenous/*EPIDEMIOLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/epidemiology/prevention&control/transmissionadolescenceadultchildcondomsfemalehealthpromotionhumanhivseropositivity/KWDepidemiology/transmissionireland/epidemiologymaleKWDneedlesharingKWDrisk-takingsexbehaviorsubstanceabuse,intravenous/KWDepidemiologyjournalarticle
941130
M94B0738

Copyright © 1994 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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