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Evidence summaries

Drug Abuse Treatment as an HIV Prevention Strategy

Methadone maintenance treatment appears to reduce HIV risk behaviour and prevent HIV infection. Level of evidence: "B"

A systematic review 1 including 33 studies with a total of more than 17 000 subjects was abstracted in DARE.

Longitudinal studies with in-treatment sample (20 studies with 16 330 participants):

Drug abuse treatment, especially methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), was associated with decreased injection and sex-related HIV risk behaviours.

Drug-related HIV risk behaviour (17 studies):

16 studies found that treatment was associated with lower HIV risk behaviour, as measured predominantly by the frequency of injection or needle-sharing.

Sex-related HIV risk behaviour (12 studies):

11 studies reported less HIV risk behaviour after drug abuse treatment.

Comparative studies of HIV conversion rates among patients in drug abuse treatment and out-of treatment patients (6 studies with 1 794 participants):

4 studies reported reduced seroconversion rates in those receiving MMT.

    References

    • Sorensen JL, Copeland AL. Drug abuse treatment as an HIV prevention strategy: a review. Drug Alcohol Depend 2000 Apr 1;59(1):17-31. [PubMed] [DARE]

Primary/Secondary Keywords