Document 0040
 DOCN  M95A0040
 TI    Practice of drug abuse among inmates of a drug rehabilitation centre in
       Hong Kong.
 DT    9510
 AU    Lo YC; Lee SS; Hollinrake JB; Department of Health, Hong Kong
       Government.
 SO    Public Health. 1995 May;109(3):201-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95320271
 AB    Sharing of contaminated injection equipment accounts for the rapid
       spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among injecting drug
       users (IDUs). The profile of drug addiction practice among inmates of
       the Shek Kwu Chau Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Hong Kong was studied.
       Registers on all the new admissions to the Centre during a two-year
       period between 1990 and 1992 were reviewed. Of the 3129 drug users
       studied, 68.7% were aged between 21 and 40; 84.8% were IDUs and heroin
       was the commonest drug of addition. Nearly 70% of the IDUs had never
       shared injection equipment with others. There were significantly more
       young addicts (< or = 30 years old) who had shared needles compared with
       the older ones (31.2% vs 26.8%, P < 0.05). Those with addiction time > 6
       months were more likely to have shared needles than the new ones. Only
       19% of the drug users accepted HIV testing at their first admission.
       Factors speculated for the low needle-sharing rates among IDUs in Hong
       Kong and the low HIV prevalence in the IDU population are discussed. It
       is of utmost importance to monitor continuously such a high-risk
       behaviour pattern so as to design appropriate intervention strategies to
       stop the transmission of HIV.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/TRANSMISSION  Adolescence  Adult  Age
       Factors  Aged  Aged, 80 and over  Comparative Study  Hong
       Kong/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  Male  Middle Age  Needle Sharing/STATISTICS &
       NUMER DATA  *Substance Abuse Treatment Centers  Substance Abuse,
       Intravenous/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/REHABILITATION  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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