AI Article Synopsis

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends monitoring HIV infection in high-risk groups, such as drug addicts, and a notable decrease in HIV prevalence has been observed in Spain.
  • A study analyzing 647 drug addicts in Castilla and León from 1991 to 1996 indicated a significant drop in HIV infection rates from 36.8% to 17.4%.
  • The findings suggest that changes in drug use patterns, specifically from intravenous to smoked methods, contributed to this decline, and several factors, including sex and age at drug initiation, were linked to HIV infection risk.

Article Abstract

Background: The Word Health Organization (WHO) has recommended epidemiologic surveillance of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in high risk populations. An important decrease has recently been observed in the prevalence of HIV infection in drug addicts in different regions in Spain with notable differences being found. The evolution of the prevalence of HIV infection in intravenous drug addicts initiating detoxication in Castilla and Leon was analyzed.

Methods: Six hundred forty-seven drug addicts (535 males and 112 females) were studied over 6 years (1991-1996) analyzing HIV seropositivity, demographic variables, drug use, age of initiation in drug consumption and route used.

Results: Most of the drug addicts were males (83%) with a mean age of initiation in the use of drugs of 19.6 years. Heroine was most frequently consumed in 95% of the patients. The mean length of consumption on admission was 8.6 years with no significant differences being observed in sexes. A relationship was observed between HIV infection and the lower age of initiation in drug usage with the greater the age of admission to detoxication the longer the time having consumed drugs. The prevalence of HIV infection significantly decreased in males and females from 36.8% in 1991 to 17.4% in 1996 (p < 0.0005), with this decrease being related to the change from the intravenous to the smoked route of drug intake. On multivariate analysis by logistic regression the odds ratio at one year of admission was significant (OR = 0.80), years of drug addiction (OR = 1.15), intravenous route (OR = 3.04) and female sex (OR = 2.75).

Conclusions: A significant decrease has been observed in the prevalence of HIV infection in drug addicts in Castilla and León attending a therapeutic center for detoxication from 1991-1996.

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