HIGH PREVALENCE OF HIV RISK-BEHAVIOR
AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF PREDICTORS
FOR SHARING INJECTING MATERIALS
AMONG YOUNG DRUG USERS IN PRAGUE,
CZECH REPUBLIC
Mikl J. 1 , Brůčková M. 2 , Jedlička J. 2 , Malý M. 2 , Vysloužilová Š. 1 , Douda I. 3 , Minařík J. 4 , Smith P. 5 , DeHovitz J.6
1 State University of New York at Albany, School of Public Health, USA, 2 National Reference Laboratory on AIDS, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic, 3 The Drop-In, Prague, Czech Republic, 4 The K-Centrum, Prague, Czech Republic, 5 New York State Department of Health, Albany, USA, 6 University of New York at Brooklyn Science Center, USA |
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Summary:
This study is one of the first studies in the Czech Republic evaluating the extent of the HIV epidemic among drug users. Interview data on
demographics, drug use, sexual practices, and HIV knowledge and risk perception were obtaine d from study participants and a saliva sample was
obtained for an HIV antibody test. Although the HIV infection rate is low (0.2 %), the prevalence of high risk behaviors, such as sharing injecting
equipment and unsafe sexual practices, indicate a potential for rapid HIV spread in this hig h risk population. Preventive measures need to be targeted
toward drug users, especially those of younger age and women.
Key words:
HIV prevalence, drug users, saliva samples, high risk behavior
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