ADDICTS SHOW DISCRETION WITH NEEDLE SHARING, STUDY SAYS

Recreational intravenous drug usage has been regarded as one of the
most effective methods of drug administration associated with a rapid
effect and primary factors in disease transmittance. Despite the high
addictiveness associated with this type of drug use, recent research
shows that there are intriguing network patterns among users.

A cross-sectioned study regarding the social network patterns and HIV
risk behavior among intravenous drug users was conducted this year in
three separate Los Angeles communities by researchers JB Unger and MD
Kipke. Participants were aged 15 through 23, and had to fulfill the
requirement of having intravenous drug usage within three months
and/or sexual intercourse with an IV drug user within 30 days prior
to the conducted study.

Results of this study revealed that participants choose whom to share
(and not share) needles with, which is somewhat unexpected
considering the high addiction rate surrounding drugs administered
intravenously. In both genders, participants shared needles with less
than half of their social network. This study's results suggest a
positive correlation between users injecting their partners (or vice
versa) and an emotional relationship between users; in fact, insult
may stem from requesting to use a clean needle.

Although needle-sharing occurred most when the male injected another
person, male and female participants were more apt on sharing needles
with someone they had sexual intercourse with, possibly indicative of
elevated trust relations and/or the inability to simply say no to a
sexual partner. Researchers also concluded that males were more apt
to share needles with people who gave them emotional support, while
females were more apt to share with people with whom they have discussed HIV.

These statistics support the hypothesis that IV drug users are more
apt to share needles not with unfamiliar persons, but with people of
close relation, be it emotional or physical. Conclusions of this sort
may be of use for enhancing anticipatory programs concerning HIV.

The Community Outreach Intervention Project (COIP) is one such
venture located at UIC's School of Public Health. Cited as a model
program by the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of
Health, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and a Carnegie
Foundation commission, COIP was founded in 1986 to address HIV/AIDS
among people who use drugs.

The project's mission includes reduction of risks in infectious
diseases associated with illicit drug use, providing services to
reduce the contraction of infectious diseases, and providing medical
care or services for people with these diseases. COIP achieves these
goals via street outreach, education, counseling, and referrals to
other associated providers.

Collaboration with UIC's Community Clinic Network and Psychology
Department allows COIP to offer free medical and mental healthcare
for people living with HIV, in addition to conducting research to
better understand the disease in the metropolitan Chicago community.

Larry Ouellet, director of the COIP UIC branch, conducted a study
focusing on the effort to prevent HIV transmission in Chicago. This
four-year undertaking concerned risk behavior and seroincidence
(blood testing for HIV antibodies). Subjects answered questionnaires
revolving around injection practices, sexual behavior, demographics,
treatment history and drug usage. Analysis of these responses
revealed a significant decline in HIV seroincidence, an increased
risk for seroconversion in users sharing injection paraphernalia, and
the suggestion that paraphernalia other than syringes or needles may
also play a role in HIV transmission.

For more information regarding COIP, visit www.uic.edu/depts/coip/ or
www.coip.org/.