Skip to main content
Top
Published in: AIDS and Behavior 4/2017

01-04-2017 | Editorial

Preventing HIV and Hepatitis Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs: Leveraging an Indiana Outbreak Response to Break the Impasse

Authors: Jeffrey S. Crowley, Gregorio A. Millett

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 4/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Providing clean needles through syringe services programs (SSPs) prevents the spread of disease among people who inject drugs (PWID). The recent HIV outbreak in Scott County, Indiana was a wakeup call with particular significance because modeling suggests that Scott County is but one of many counties in the United States highly vulnerable to an HIV outbreak among PWID. It is a painful recognition that some policy makers ignored the evidence in support of SSPs when it was primarily blacks in inner cities that were affected, yet swung into action in the wake of Scott County where 99% of the cases were white. Too many Americans have been taught to shame and shun drug users (irrespective or race or ethnicity). Therefore, we need lessons that afford benefits to all communities. We need to understand what made opinion leaders change their views and then change more hearts and minds before, not after the next outbreak.
Literature
2.
go back to reference Des Jarlais DC, Marmor M, Paone D, et al. HIV incidence among injecting drug users in New York City syringe exchange programs. Lancet. 1996;348:987–91.CrossRefPubMed Des Jarlais DC, Marmor M, Paone D, et al. HIV incidence among injecting drug users in New York City syringe exchange programs. Lancet. 1996;348:987–91.CrossRefPubMed
4.
go back to reference Van Handel MM, Rose CE, Hallisey EJ, et al. County-level vulnerability assessment for rapid dissemination of HIV or HCV infections among persons who inject drugs, United States. JAIDS. 2016;73:323–31.PubMed Van Handel MM, Rose CE, Hallisey EJ, et al. County-level vulnerability assessment for rapid dissemination of HIV or HCV infections among persons who inject drugs, United States. JAIDS. 2016;73:323–31.PubMed
5.
go back to reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Community outbreak of HIV infection linked to injection drug use of Oxymorphone. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(16):443–4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Community outbreak of HIV infection linked to injection drug use of Oxymorphone. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(16):443–4.
6.
go back to reference Peters PJ, et al. HIV infection linked to injection use of Oxymorphone in Indiana, 2014–2015. NEJM. 2016;375(3):229–39.CrossRefPubMed Peters PJ, et al. HIV infection linked to injection use of Oxymorphone in Indiana, 2014–2015. NEJM. 2016;375(3):229–39.CrossRefPubMed
9.
go back to reference Wejnert C, Hess KL, Hall HI, et al. Vital Signs: trends in HIV diagnoses, risk behaviors, and prevention among persons who inject drugs—United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:1336–42.CrossRefPubMed Wejnert C, Hess KL, Hall HI, et al. Vital Signs: trends in HIV diagnoses, risk behaviors, and prevention among persons who inject drugs—United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:1336–42.CrossRefPubMed
12.
go back to reference This estimate is based on 181 infections using the estimated lifetime cost of HIV care of $326,500 for someone who acquires HIV infection at age 35. See, Schackman BR, Fleishman JA, Su AE, et al.: The lifetime medical cost savings from preventing HIV infection in the United States. Med Care. 53(4):293–301 (2015). This estimate is based on 181 infections using the estimated lifetime cost of HIV care of $326,500 for someone who acquires HIV infection at age 35. See, Schackman BR, Fleishman JA, Su AE, et al.: The lifetime medical cost savings from preventing HIV infection in the United States. Med Care. 53(4):293–301 (2015).
13.
go back to reference U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Office of the Surgeon General. Facing addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s report on alcohol, drugs, and health. Washington, DC: HHS; 2016. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Office of the Surgeon General. Facing addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s report on alcohol, drugs, and health. Washington, DC: HHS; 2016.
17.
go back to reference Email communication, Daniel Raymond, Harm Reduction Coalition, February 10, 2017. Email communication, Daniel Raymond, Harm Reduction Coalition, February 10, 2017.
18.
go back to reference Kerr T, Tyndall M, Li K, et al. Safer injection facility use and syringe sharing in injection drug users. Lancet. 2005;366:316–8.CrossRefPubMed Kerr T, Tyndall M, Li K, et al. Safer injection facility use and syringe sharing in injection drug users. Lancet. 2005;366:316–8.CrossRefPubMed
19.
go back to reference Wood E, Zhang R, Montaner JSG, et al. Attendance at supervised injecting facilities and use of detoxification services. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:2512–4.CrossRefPubMed Wood E, Zhang R, Montaner JSG, et al. Attendance at supervised injecting facilities and use of detoxification services. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:2512–4.CrossRefPubMed
20.
go back to reference Marshall BDL, Malloy M-J, Wood E, et al. Reduction in overdose mortality after the opening of North America’s first medically supervised safer injecting facility: a retrospective population-based study. Lancet. 2011;377:1429–37.CrossRefPubMed Marshall BDL, Malloy M-J, Wood E, et al. Reduction in overdose mortality after the opening of North America’s first medically supervised safer injecting facility: a retrospective population-based study. Lancet. 2011;377:1429–37.CrossRefPubMed
21.
go back to reference Pinkerton SD. Is Vancouver Canada’s supervised injection facility cost-saving? Addiction. 2010;105:1429–36.CrossRefPubMed Pinkerton SD. Is Vancouver Canada’s supervised injection facility cost-saving? Addiction. 2010;105:1429–36.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Preventing HIV and Hepatitis Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs: Leveraging an Indiana Outbreak Response to Break the Impasse
Authors
Jeffrey S. Crowley
Gregorio A. Millett
Publication date
01-04-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1731-8

Other articles of this Issue 4/2017

AIDS and Behavior 4/2017 Go to the issue
Obesity Clinical Trial Summary

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.

Developed by: Springer Medicine

Highlights from the ACC 2024 Congress

Year in Review: Pediatric cardiology

Watch Dr. Anne Marie Valente present the last year's highlights in pediatric and congenital heart disease in the official ACC.24 Year in Review session.

Year in Review: Pulmonary vascular disease

The last year's highlights in pulmonary vascular disease are presented by Dr. Jane Leopold in this official video from ACC.24.

Year in Review: Valvular heart disease

Watch Prof. William Zoghbi present the last year's highlights in valvular heart disease from the official ACC.24 Year in Review session.

Year in Review: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies

Watch this official video from ACC.24. Dr. Biykem Bozkurt discuss last year's major advances in heart failure and cardiomyopathies.