Role of Substance Abuse Professionals in the AIDS Epidemic (From AIDS and Substance Abuse, P 175-206, 1988, Larry Siegel, ed., -- See NCJ-119722)

• NCJ Number: 119734
• Author(s): D E Smith
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 32 pages
• Sale Source: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the expanding role of drug abuse treatment professionals in the AIDS epidemic.

Abstract

This role includes the utilization of predictive models to help focus prevention, intervention, and treatment efforts for intravenous (IV) drug users, who are the second largest at-risk group for HIV contagion after homosexual males, as well as adolescents. Specifically, the needle-sharing ritual, the "teach and bleach" method of community-based outreach prevention, the controversy surrounding drug maintenance programs and free needle distribution, and HIV antibody testing and confidentiality are addressed. It is crucial for chemical dependency treatment programs to apprise themselves, on an ongoing basis, of both individual and organizational guidelines regarding AIDS and to develop AIDS and chemical dependency treatment components within their programs in order to keep drug abuse treatment itself from being compromised. 1 graph, 1 chart, 29 notes.