Associations between availability and coverage of HIV-prevention measures and subsequent incidence of diagnosed HIV infection among injection drug users.

HIV-prevention measures specific to injection drug users (IDUs), such as opioid substitution treatment and needle-and-syringe programs, are not provided in many countries where injection drug use is endemic. We describe the incidence of diagnosed HIV infection in IDUs and the availability and coverage of opioid substitution and needle-and-syringe programs in the European Union and 5 middle- and high-income countries. Countries with greater provision of both prevention measures in 2000 to 2004 had lower incidence of diagnosed HIV infection in 2005 and 2006.

HIV among injecting drug users in Europe: increasing trends in the East.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic among injecting drug users (IDUs) shows different developments in different parts of the European region. In the countries of the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the rates of reported newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection in IDUs are mostly at stable and low levels or in decline. In contrast, those rates increased in 2007 in many of the other (eastern) countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, suggesting that the HIV epidemic among IDUs in Europe is still growing.

Short scales to assess cannabis-related problems: a review of psychometric properties.

Aims: The purpose of this paper is to summarize the psychometric properties of four short screening scales to assess problematic forms of cannabis use: Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT), Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) and Problematic Use of Marijuana (PUM).

Methods: A systematic computer-based literature search was conducted within the databases of PubMed, PsychINFO and Addiction Abstracts. A total of 12 publications reporting measures of reliability or validity were identified: 8 concerning SDS, 2 concerning CUDIT and one concerning CAST and PUM.

Quite a lot of smoke but very limited fire--the use of methamphetamine in Europe.

Introduction And Aims: This paper provides an overview of the historical development, current situation and potential future diffusion of methamphetamine (MA) use in Europe.

Design And Methods: The analysis is based on a review of published and grey literature, as well as data collected as part of the ongoing monitoring of the drug situation in Europe. Some qualitative surveys among high-risk populations do exist, but overall the general low prevalence of methamphetamine use in most of Europe means that the data available to explore patterns of use are limited.

Three-year follow-up study of heroin users in Bratislava.

The principal goal of the present study was to find out the prospects of patients who enter a treatment facility due to their opioid dependence in the specific socioeconomic conditions of a transforming Central European country. The prospective follow-up study of a cohort of 351 patients, 76% males and 24% females, with an average age of 21.5 years (SD 4.

Sports activities in the prevention of heroin dependency.

The aim of this study was to find out more about the role played by sports activities in the prevention of illicit drug abuse. We administered a simple questionnaire to a group of 215 patients with heroin dependency. Their average age was 23 years (SD = 4.