ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF DRUG-USERS IN THE CONTEXT OF AIDS AND HEPATITIS EPIDEMICS

This study has been conducted in Lille, Marseille, Metz, Paris and its suburbs using an ethnographic methodology. A total number of 1703 sub jects using injectable drugs have been interwieved in the streets and in treatments centers. The results of the study are as follows : shari ng syringes did progressively decrease since 1988, reusing syringes an d sharing of the injection equipment maintained itself during the same time period; a decrease of HIV seroprevalence; a massive HVC contamin ation; qualitative and quantitative data do suggest the important role played by the multiple use of the same syringes and the sharing of th e injection equipment.