HIV prevalence and HIV risk behaviour among injecting drug users in London and Glasgow

Citation

Rhodes TJ, Bloor MJ, Donoghoe MC, Haw S, Ettore B, Platt S, Frischer M, Hunter GM, Taylor A, Finlay A, Crosier AN, Stephens S, Covell R, Stimson GV, Goldberg DJ, Green S, McKeganey N & Parry J (1993) HIV prevalence and HIV risk behaviour among injecting drug users in London and Glasgow. AIDS Care, 5 (4), pp. 413-425. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540129308258011

Abstract
This paper reports on the British findings from a cross-national study of HIV prevalence and HIV risk behaviour among 1,037 injecting drug users (IDUs) recruited from a variety of treatment- and community-based settings during 1990. Confirmed HIV saliva test results show 12.8% (63) of London respondents and 1.8% (8) of Glasgow respondents to be HIV antibody positive. Among London respondents, a higher rate of prevalence was found in those with no experience of drug treatment. A greater proportion of Glasgow respondents (68%) than London respondents (47%) reported sharing used injecting equipment in the 6 months prior w interview. The majority (88% an both cities) attempted cleaning borrowed equipment, although less than a third (31 % in London and 30% in Glasgow) usually used bleach. The majority of respondents (71 % in London and 82% in Glasgow) were sexually active with partners of the opposite sex in the last 6 months, and respondents had a mean number of 2.4 non-commercial sexual partner in London and 2.1 in Glasgow. Levels of reported condom use were comparable with reports in the heterosexual population as a whole, with 70% of London respondents and 75% of Glasgow respondents never using condoms with primary partners, and 34% of London and 52% of Glasgow respondent never Using condoms with casual partners. Half (48%) of Landon respondent and 42% of Glasgow respondent reported sexual intercourse with non-injecting private sexual partners, while 14% of female respondents in Landon and 22% in Glasgow had engaged in prostitution. Levels of risk-taking in each of the two cities indicate the potential for form transmission of HIV among drug injectors, and their sexual and sharing partner.

Journal
AIDS Care: Volume 5, Issue 4