[HIV testing and risk-prone behavior among drug abusers in Oslo]

Akuttinstitusjonen (a detoxification clinic) and Uteseksjonen (a municipal outreach program) are two important institutions for drug abusers in the centre of Oslo. Both institutions offer voluntary HIV-antibody testing. 328 HIV-tests were performed on 214 different persons during a three-year period ending 31 December 1989 and only one new HIV-positive drug abuser was found. 157 different persons answered a questionnaire in 1989 at the time the HIV-antibody test was performed. They report considerable risk-prone behaviour, related both to injection procedures and sexual practice. 19 persons had had sex with a known HIV-positive person and 11 persons had borrowed a syringe/needle from a known HIV-positive person during a period of approximately one year before the actual test situation.