AIDS Prevention Programs for Intravenous Drug Users: diversity and evolution

Abstract

Recent studies show AIDS risk reduction among intravenous drug users in response to a wide variety of prevention programs. These prevention programs have ranged from simple education to the provision of drug abuse treatment. Case studies of three programs that have been in operation for relatively long times—in Amsterdam, New Jersey and New York—show evolutionary changes. The programs have to respond to the needs of their clientele as well as concerns of the political environment. The changes are often in directions radically different from the original expectations of the program designers. A unifying theme in these changes is that programs providing treatment to reduce drug injection and programs providing means for ‘safer’ injection should be seen as complementary rather than contradictory.