Abstract
In central European states, rates of HIV among injection drug users (IDUs) have been low although Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is widespread. The goal of our study was to assess HIV infection, risk perceptions and injecting equipment sharing among IDUs in Budapest, Hungary. Altogether 150 IDUs were interviewed (121 structured interviews between 1999 and 2000 and 29 ethnographic interviews between 2003 and 2004). The majority of them injected heroin (52% and 79%) and many injected amphetamines (51% and 35%). One person tested positive for HIV. Two thirds (68%) shared injecting equipment (syringes, cookers and filters). Some participants said they shared syringes because they were not carrying them for fear of police harassment and that they reused filters as a backup drug supply. In multivariate analysis, sharing of injecting equipment was associated with higher perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, lower self-efficacy for sterile equipment use, higher motivation to comply with peer pressure to use dirty injecting equipment and with having a criminal record. The high levels of injecting risk-behaviors found in this study are a cause for serious concern. Interventions for HIV-prevention need to address not only sharing syringes but also sharing and reusing of other injecting equipment and drug filters.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-66 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 1 2007 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health(social science)
- Health Professions(all)
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Injecting equipment sharing and perception of HIV and hepatitis risk among injecting drug users in Budapest. / Rácz, J.; Gyarmathy, V. A.; Neaigus, A.; Újhelyi, E.
In: AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV, Vol. 19, No. 1, 01.01.2007, p. 59-66.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Injecting equipment sharing and perception of HIV and hepatitis risk among injecting drug users in Budapest
AU - Rácz, J.
AU - Gyarmathy, V. A.
AU - Neaigus, A.
AU - Újhelyi, E.
PY - 2007/1/1
Y1 - 2007/1/1
N2 - In central European states, rates of HIV among injection drug users (IDUs) have been low although Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is widespread. The goal of our study was to assess HIV infection, risk perceptions and injecting equipment sharing among IDUs in Budapest, Hungary. Altogether 150 IDUs were interviewed (121 structured interviews between 1999 and 2000 and 29 ethnographic interviews between 2003 and 2004). The majority of them injected heroin (52% and 79%) and many injected amphetamines (51% and 35%). One person tested positive for HIV. Two thirds (68%) shared injecting equipment (syringes, cookers and filters). Some participants said they shared syringes because they were not carrying them for fear of police harassment and that they reused filters as a backup drug supply. In multivariate analysis, sharing of injecting equipment was associated with higher perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, lower self-efficacy for sterile equipment use, higher motivation to comply with peer pressure to use dirty injecting equipment and with having a criminal record. The high levels of injecting risk-behaviors found in this study are a cause for serious concern. Interventions for HIV-prevention need to address not only sharing syringes but also sharing and reusing of other injecting equipment and drug filters.
AB - In central European states, rates of HIV among injection drug users (IDUs) have been low although Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is widespread. The goal of our study was to assess HIV infection, risk perceptions and injecting equipment sharing among IDUs in Budapest, Hungary. Altogether 150 IDUs were interviewed (121 structured interviews between 1999 and 2000 and 29 ethnographic interviews between 2003 and 2004). The majority of them injected heroin (52% and 79%) and many injected amphetamines (51% and 35%). One person tested positive for HIV. Two thirds (68%) shared injecting equipment (syringes, cookers and filters). Some participants said they shared syringes because they were not carrying them for fear of police harassment and that they reused filters as a backup drug supply. In multivariate analysis, sharing of injecting equipment was associated with higher perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, lower self-efficacy for sterile equipment use, higher motivation to comply with peer pressure to use dirty injecting equipment and with having a criminal record. The high levels of injecting risk-behaviors found in this study are a cause for serious concern. Interventions for HIV-prevention need to address not only sharing syringes but also sharing and reusing of other injecting equipment and drug filters.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845223318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09540120600722742
DO - 10.1080/09540120600722742
M3 - Article
C2 - 17129858
AN - SCOPUS:33845223318
VL - 19
SP - 59
EP - 66
JO - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
JF - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
SN - 0954-0121
IS - 1
ER -