Browsing by Author "Pluddemann, Andreas"

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    Availability of HIV prevention and treatment services for people who inject drugs : findings from 21 countries
    (BioMed Central, 2013-08) Petersen, Zaino; Myers, Bronwyn; Van Hout, Marie-Claire; Pluddemann, Andreas; Parry, Charles
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: About a third of the global HIV infections outside sub-Saharan Africa are related to injecting drug use (IDU), and this accounts for a growing proportion of persons living with HIV. This paper is a response to the need to monitor the state of the HIV epidemic as it relates to IDU and the availability of HIV treatment and harm reduction services in 21 high epidemic countries. Methods: A data collection form was designed to cover questions on rates of IDU, prevalence and incidence of HIV and information on HIV treatment and harm reduction services available to people who inject drugs (PWID). National and regional data on HIV infection, IDU in the form of reports and journal articles were sought from key informants in conjunction with a systematic search of the literature. Results: Completed data collection forms were received for 11 countries. Additional country-specific information was sourced via the literature search. The overall proportion of HIV positive PWID in the selected countries ranged from 3% in Kazakhstan to 58% in Vietnam. While IDU is relatively rare in sub-Saharan Africa, it is the main driver of HIV in Mauritius and Kenya, with roughly 47% and 36% of PWID respectively being HIV positive. All countries had antiretroviral treatment (ART) available to PWID, but data on service coverage were mainly missing. By the end of 2010, uptake of needle and syringe programmes (NSP) in Bangladesh, India and Slovakia reached the internationally recommended target of 200 syringes per person, while uptake in Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Tajikistan reached between 100-200 syringes per person. The proportion of PWID receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST) ranged from 0.1% in Kazakhstan to 32.8% in Mauritius, with coverage of less than 3% for most countries. Conclusions: In order to be able to monitor the impact of HIV treatment and harm reduction services for PWID on the epidemic, epidemiological data on IDU and harm reduction service provision to PWID needs to be regularly collected using standardised indicators. Background About a third of the global HIV infections outside sub-Saharan Africa are related to injecting drug use (IDU), and this accounts for a growing proportion of persons living with HIV. This paper is a response to the need to monitor the state of the HIV epidemic as it relates to IDU and the availability of HIV treatment and harm reduction services in 21 high epidemic countries. Methods A data collection form was designed to cover questions on rates of IDU, prevalence and incidence of HIV and information on HIV treatment and harm reduction services available to people who inject drugs (PWID). National and regional data on HIV infection, IDU in the form of reports and journal articles were sought from key informants in conjunction with a systematic search of the literature. Results Completed data collection forms were received for 11 countries. Additional country-specific information was sourced via the literature search. The overall proportion of HIV positive PWID in the selected countries ranged from 3% in Kazakhstan to 58% in Vietnam. While IDU is relatively rare in sub-Saharan Africa, it is the main driver of HIV in Mauritius and Kenya, with roughly 47% and 36% of PWID respectively being HIV positive. All countries had antiretroviral treatment (ART) available to PWID, but data on service coverage were mainly missing. By the end of 2010, uptake of needle and syringe programmes (NSP) in Bangladesh, India and Slovakia reached the internationally recommended target of 200 syringes per person, while uptake in Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Tajikistan reached between 100-200 syringes per person. The proportion of PWID receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST) ranged from 0.1% in Kazakhstan to 32.8% in Mauritius, with coverage of less than 3% for most countries. Conclusions In order to be able to monitor the impact of HIV treatment and harm reduction services for PWID on the epidemic, epidemiological data on IDU and harm reduction service provision to PWID needs to be regularly collected using standardised indicators.
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    Cannabis and other drug use among trauma patients in three South African cities, 1999-2001
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2005) Parry, Charles D. H.; Pluddemann, Andreas; Donson, Hilton; Sukhai, Anesh; Marais, Sandra; Lombard, Carl
    Objective. To assess the extent of cannabis and other drug use among patients presenting with recent injuries at trauma units in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban from 1999 to 2001. Design. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted during a 4-week period at each of the above sites in 1999, 2000 and 2001. The concept of an idealised week was used to render representative samples. Outcome measures. Cause of injury and biological markers to assess use of cannabis, methaqualone (Mandrax), opiates, cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. Results. Over half of all patients tested experienced violent injuries. Excluding opiates, across sites and over time between 33% and 62% of patients tested positive for at least one drug (N = 1 565). In most cases the drugs were cannabis and/or methaqualone. While no inter-city differences were found, male patients were typically more likely to test positive for drugs in general and specific drugs such as cannabis and the cannabis/methaqualone ('white pipe') combination than female patients. Drug positivity was higher in 2001 than in the previous 2 years in Cape Town, and patients injured as a result of violence in Cape Town and Durban were more likely to test positive for drugs than patients with certain other types of injuries. Conclusions. Drug use among trauma patients has remained consistently high for each of the 3 study periods. Efforts to combat the abuse of drugs such as cannabis and methaqualone would appear to be paramount in reducing the burden of injuries on health care services. The study has raised numerous issues requiring further research.
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    Post-exposure prophylaxis for rape survivors
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2007) Pluddemann, Andreas; Reuter, Helmuth; Johnson, Carol
    [No abstract available]