NCJ Number
115225
Date Published
1988
Length
47 pages
Annotation
The linkages among AIDS, intravenous (IV) drug abuse, poverty, and community opposition to treatment facilities forge a chain that will be difficult to break.
Abstract
The most formidable barrier to breaking these links lies in refuting negative attitudes that available interventions will not work or are not worth the expense. While IV drug users and their sexual partners are difficult populations to educate, they should not be considered unreachable. Further the cost of treating IV drug use is far less than the cost of treating AIDS. Consequently, there is a need for immediate provision of treatment for every drug user who wants it and expanded effort to draw drug users into treatment. This requires an equitable distribution of treatment facilities throughout communities and targeted AIDS education and related services for those at risk, including voluntary AIDS testing and counseling and risk reduction programs, such as distribution of bleach and sterile needles. Finally, increased public-sector funding is needed to cover the costs of these expanded drug treatment and education services, supplemented by increased private funding and participation in model development. 73 footnotes and a 78-item bibliography.