| Popis: |
In the past two years, we observed a relatively large number of drug users coming from 8 countries of North Africa and the Middle East attending our drug treatment center in central Rome. We conducted a study to evaluate HIV prevalence and correlates of infection among this specific population group. Among the 131 participants, 61 (46.6%) reported injecting drug use; none of the 70 non-injectors was HIV-positive. Among injecting drug users, 9 (14.8%) were HIV-positive; 56 of them (91.8%) reported having started to inject drugs in Italy. Analysis of risk factors for HIV infection was restricted to injecting drug users. In univariate analysis, HIV-positivity was significantly associated with older age, a longer history of drug injection, a longer duration of residence in Italy, female sex, use of injected cocaine, needle-sharing reported in the past five years, and known HIV-positive sexual partner in the past year. Having been in prison was marginally associated with HlV-seropos-itivity. The results of a m... |
