INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS AND AIDS - KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR IN CALABRIA, ITALY

Objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitu des and behaviour of Italian intravenous drug users (IVDUs) regarding AIDS, Design: cross-sectional survey, Setting: 4 public drug treatment centres in Calabria, Italy, Participants: 157 IVDUs attending the cli nics from March to October 1994 recruited on a voluntary basis, Measur ements and results: a self-administered questionnaire consisting of qu estions on demographics, knowledge about AIDS, injecting and sexual be haviour and attitudes on drug-using and sexual activity was distribute d to participants, Stepwise logistic regression was performed, Knowled ge was significantly lower in married people (OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0. 76) and in those with a lower income (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.97), whi le it was higher in IVDUs with a longer history of addiction (OR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.36), The 'sharing' of injecting equipment was signific antly higher as the frequency of injection increased (OR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.17-10.36), The routine use of condoms was significantly lower in ma rried people (OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.01-0.43) and as the number of partner s in the previous year increased (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.18-0.83), while i t was significantly more common in those who considered that getting A IDS was a likely event in their lives (OR=3.61, 95% CI: 1.20-10.84). K nowledge was satisfactory in our population, except for methods of dis infection. The proportion of sharers in the previous 3 months (15.9%) was low, The routine use of condoms was still low, confirming resistan ce to seeking a safer sexual lifestyle. Conclusions: the results of ou r study confirm that changing sexually risky behaviour has proven more difficult than changing drug injection risk behaviour, Our findings s uggest that an important target for AIDS prevention programmes may be the reduction of frequency of injection and that intervention strategi es should shift their emphasis from drug use to sexual behaviour.