New psychoactive substance use as a survival strategy in rural marginalised communities in Hungary.

Background: New psychoactive substance (NPS) use has become a widespread phenomenon among marginalised communities in Hungary. Since 2010, a growing number of reports in grey literature and anecdotal information among professionals have become available on NPS use among previously unaffected groups, such as people living in rural, socioeconomically deprived communities. In our research, we aimed to explore NPS use among these communities.

[Changes in psychosocial symptoms of opiate users over six months with buprenorphine/naloxone substitution therapy].

Aims: The main target of our research was to measure the changes in psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, craving) of patients receiving buprenorphine-naloxone substitution treatment for six months, and the evaluation of the changes using the clients' dependency parameters (ASI).

Methods: The level of dependency was investigated using the Addicton Severity Index (ASI). The psychiatric symptoms related to Axis I and II disorders were examined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, SCID I and SCID II.

[Monitoring and evaluation of the Hungarian methadone maintenance programmes].

Introduction: Methadone maintenance has an important role in the treatment of injecting heroin users and the reduction of harm connected to drug abuse. In their study, the authors aimed to identify methadone maintenance and substitution programmes and service providers, addiction and psychosocial characteristics of clients, their satisfaction with the programmes and the realization of methadone maintenance "methodological letter" (guideline) issued by the Ministry of Health.

Methods: During the study all the eight outpatient centres providing methadone maintenance were involved as well as their clients and experts.

Sex and drugs: the correlations of injecting drug users' risk perception and behavioral patterns.

A low-level blood-borne virus infection exists among Hungary's injecting drug users (IDUs). Assessing the relationship between risk perception and risk behaviors is necessary in order to predict future drug-injecting trends. During 1999 -and 2000, 197 IDUs were interviewed in Budapest using the Risk Assessment Questionnaire developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

["Treatment instead of punishment"--how a theory is put into practice, based on evaluation of patients at an outpatient drug treatment center (in Budapest)].

Introduction: An amendment to the 1993 law allowed illegal substance users to participate in "treatment alternative to prison" ("quasi compulsory treatment") in Hungary. The law was further modified in 2003, allowing a wider range of users to enter the programme.

Aim: To examine how the theory of quasi compulsory treatment was put into practice in a drug treatment centre located in Budapest in the period between 2001 and 2005.

Low-threshold services for problem drug users in Hungary.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore how harm reduction (HR) approach and low-threshold approach are realised at low-threshold services (LTSs) in Hungary in comparison with the guidelines presented in different policy papers (European Union drugs strategies) and national regulations.

Materials And Methods: Hungarian LTSs were investigated: 29 organisations out of 44 (66% return rate) were reached with questionnaires and 40 LTS workers were interviewed.

Results: The LTSs have difficulties reaching their target group, distributing sufficient sterile syringes and interpreting the concept of 'low-threshold' and HR, sometimes defining them as a transient stage to abstinence-based treatment.

[Sex and drug: correlation of risk perception and behavioral patterns among intravenous drug users].

Background: Hungary is a country which has low level of HIV infection and relatively low HCV and HBC prevalence among intravenous drug users (IDUs). Despite this favourable situation, due to the proximity of some Eastern European countries which have high prevalence and incidence of HIV, HCV and HBV infections, there is a potential danger of a rapid outbreak of AIDS and hepatitis epidemic. These infectious diseases can be transmitted through needle and equipment sharing as well as by sexual contact among IDUs, with the latter one receiving less emphasis in the research related to the use of injected drugs.