Abstract: This chapter discusses HIV prevention and intervention efforts among injection drug users (IDUs) in the United States and internationally and provides a brief overview of the HIV epidemic among IDUs, and factors that have contributed to HIV acquisition and transmission. Political and social factors fundamentally shape the nature of substance-abuse behaviors, HIV prevention, and intervention approaches. Policies and regulations can influence neighborhood socioeconomic conditions by determining the availability, accessibility, and nature of health and social services, as well as the types of interventions that are amenable to specific populations. Although drug dependence is a mental illness which should in turn be dealt with from a public health and medical perspective, injection drug use is unlawful and is treated as a criminal offense in many settings. It is important to consider the social and political context of the HIV epidemic when designing and implementing HIV prevention programs for IDUs. The availability and accessibility of drug treatment has been used as an HIV prevention strategy, and in some settings it has been the only strategy. Unfortunately, many drug users face barriers to quitting injection drug use because of other social and psychological problems, difficulty gaining entry into drug treatment, a lack of desire to cease drug use, or an inability to find one of the limited available treatment options agreeable. Extreme poverty and disordered social environments are two key contextual factors that also contribute to injection drug use. A convergence of other contextual factors also helps to create high-risk environments that promote injection drug use and HIV risk behaviors. Some of these factors include limited opportunities for gainful employment, income inequality, pervasive crime, availability of drugs, and social norms that either permit or do not discourage drug use.
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 8
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot