Practice of drug abuse among inmates of a drug rehabilitation centre in Hong Kong

Abstract

Sharing of contaminated injection equipment accounts for the rapid spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among injecting drug users (IDUs). The profile of drug addiction practice among inmates of the Shek Kwu Chau Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Hong Kong was studied. Registers on all the new admissions to the Centre during a two-year period between 1990 and 1992 were reviewed. Of the 3129 drug users studied, 68.7% were aged between 21 and 40; 84.8% were IDUs and heroin was the commonest drug of addition. Nearly 70% of the IDUs had never shared injection equipment with others. There were significantly more young addicts (< or = 30 years old) who had shared needles compared with the older ones (31.2% vs 26.8%, P < 0.05). Those with addiction time > 6 months were more likely to have shared needles than the new ones. Only 19% of the drug users accepted HIV testing at their first admission. Factors speculated for the low needle-sharing rates among IDUs in Hong Kong and the low HIV prevalence in the IDU population are discussed. It is of utmost importance to monitor continuously such a high-risk behaviour pattern so as to design appropriate intervention strategies to stop the transmission of HIV.