International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 18, Number 6 > Pp. 389-391

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wilson, T. E Articles by Uusküla, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Original research articles

The HIV prevention needs of injection drug users in Estonia

Tracey E Wilson, Anjali Sharma, Kai Zilmer, Nelli Kalikova and Anneli Uusküla

Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Centre for Infectious Diseases, West-Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia; AIDS Information and Support Center, Tallinn, Estonia; Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

To assess the relationships between HIV transmission risk behaviours, HIV serostatus and knowledge of HIV serostatus among active injection drug users (IDUs) residing in Tallinn, Estonia, we conducted HIV testing and administered a standardized interview to 266 participants reporting recent injection drug use. In total, 45% were HIV positive, and of those, 39% knew their HIV serostatus. Those who knew their HIV-positive serostatus were less likely to report giving someone else their needle after they used it (9%) than were HIV-negative participants (23%) and those who were HIV positive but unaware of their HIV-positive serostatus (25%). There were no statistically significant differences in unprotected sex or other drug use behaviours between the groups. Most participants reported that HIV can be transmitted through sharing needles (98%) and unprotected sexual activity (93%). Prevention needs of IDUs in this area include increasing the rates of HIV testing and implementing effective programmes to reduce sexual and drug use risk behaviours.

Key Words: HIV • SUBSTANCE ABUSE • INTRAVENOUS • SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR • BALTIC STATES

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A Uuskula, K Fischer, R Raudne, H Kilgi, R Krylov, M Salminen, H Brummer-Korvenkontio, J S. Lawrence, and S Aral A study on HIV and hepatitis C virus among commercial sex workers in Tallinn Sex Transm Inf, June 1, 2008; 84(3): 189 - 191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]