Substance Abuse and risk of HIV

Substance Abuse and risk of HIV

In 2002, National institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism conducted research and findings clearly show that the use of alcohol and other substance of abuse is a factor in the spread of HIV and can complicate the long-term health outcomes of HIV-positive individual. Every year the number of newly infected people through Injective drug use in increasing and it’s a alarming

 How does drug abuse predispose to HIV-AIDS?

1.    The most common method of transmission is by sharing infected injection equipment like needles and syringes among people who inject drugs.

2.    There is sexual transmission of virus between those who injects drugs and their sexual partners.

3.    HIV may be transmitted from a addicted mother who is HIV positive during pregnancy, delivery or child birth.

4.    Even non injecting use of drugs like alcohol, cannabis, heroin can lead to high risk sexual behavior as alcohol/drug use can interfere with judgment about sexual (and other) behavior.

5.    Exchanging sex for alcohol/drug is a common risk behavior pattern adapted by many addicts.  

Why is injecting drugs a risk for HIV?

§  Direct syringe sharing / sharing drug equipment carries a high risk of HIV transmission through:

§  Using blood contaminated syringes to prepare drug

§  Reusing bottle caps, spoons or other containers like spoons and cookers used to dissolve drugs in water and to heat drug solutions

§  Reuse water

§  Reusing small pieces of cotton or cigarette filters (cottons) used to filter out particles that could block the needles

§  ‘Street sellers’ of syringes may repackage use syringes and sell them as sterile syringes.

Points to remember

v  Take treatment for alcohol and/or Drug abuse.

v  Stop using drugs.

v  Avoid mixing alcohol or other drugs with sexual activities.

v  Never share needles and syringes, water or drug preparation equipment, if you are a injection drug user and follow safe injection practices.

v  Safely dispose of syringes after one use.

v  Abstain from casual and unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex.

v  Avoid multiple partners.

v  Take immediate treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

v  Get yourself tested for HIV if you are a drug user or have indulged in other high risk behavior even once.

And always remember DRUGS DRAG YOU DOWN.