Needle exchange program participation by anabolic steroid injectors, United States 1998

A significant number of people are currently misusing and abusing anabolic steroids. Hepatitis B, C, and HIV have all been documented to occur among a nabolic steroid injectors (ASIs), most likely from the sharing of injection equipment. A survey was administered to 42 needle exchange programs (NEPs) from 17 states in the US to determine ASI participation. Sixty percent of the NEPs surveyed reported having at least some ASIs as participants, howev er, only 512 ASIs were identified among the 36 000 total monthly participan ts (1.4%). With the expanding number of NEPs in the US, it is possible to r each a higher proportion of ASIs with clean syringes and education, thus of fering the means to prevent the spread of infection in this population. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.