Document 0751
 DOCN  M9440751
 TI    Preventing the spread of HIV among Australian injecting drug users.
 DT    9404
 AU    Wodak A; Alcohol and Drug Service, St. Vincent's Hospital,
       Darlinghurst,; Australia.
 SO    Forensic Sci Int. 1993 Nov;62(1-2):83-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94131387
 AB    Control of HIV infection among and from injecting drug users is critical
       for the long-term control of HIV infection in Australia. There is now
       consistent and strong evidence that the prevalence of HIV infection
       among Australian injecting drug users is still low. Recent evidence
       suggests that Australian injecting drug users are reducing injecting
       behaviour associated with HIV infection. Australian adopted harm
       reduction policies early and implemented a comprehensive range of
       programmes vigorously. These were designed to reduce the spread of HIV
       infection in this population. The most plausible explanation for the low
       prevalence of HIV infection in Australia is the adoption and
       implementation of these policies and programmes, although it is
       unrealistic to expect that this can be proved in a definitive way.
       Control of HIV infection in Australian injecting drug users represents
       one of the major public health triumphs in this country in the past
       decade and probably reduced the present cumulative number of AIDS cases
       by 1200, AIDS deaths by 800 and expenditure on AIDS by at least $60
       million. However, recent international experience in this area is
       alarming. The prevalence of HIV infection in injecting drug users in
       Australia will probably rise in the future. Complacency, failure to
       implement HIV prevention in prisons (including especially bleach
       distribution), continued emphasis on supply reduction drug policy and a
       failure to foster a research capability will ensure that this happens
       sooner rather than later.
 DE    Australia/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Communicable Disease Control/METHODS
       Forecasting  Health Behavior  Health Expenditures  Health Policy  Human
       HIV Infections/ECONOMICS/ETIOLOGY/MORTALITY/*PREVENTION & CONTROL/
       TRANSMISSION  *HIV Seroprevalence  Prisons  Public Health Administration
       Risk Factors  Substance Abuse, Intravenous/*COMPLICATIONS  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).