[Little HIV risk behavior in drug users during detention in Dutch penitentiaries]

To assess levels of HIV risk behaviour in injecting drug users during and immediately following prison terms in the Netherlands.

Descriptive.

Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Injecting drug users taking part in a follow-up study on HIV infection were interviewed on injecting drug use and vaginal and anal sexual contact during their last prison term in the 3 years preceding the interview and on injecting drug use in the week following release from prison.

A prison term in the preceding 3 years was reported by 188 (41%) of 463 interviewed drug injectors. The mean age of the 188 was 35.5 years: 146 (78%) were males, 63 (34%) had HIV antibodies, and the mean duration of latest prison term was 3.6 months. Some use of cannabis, heroin, or cocaine in prison was reported by 104 (55%), 69 (37%), and 38 (20%) respectively. Five injectors (3%) reported having injected in prison: in 4 cases once and in 1 case 3 times. No sharing of needles and syringes was reported. Vaginal or anal sex was reported by 2 (1%) of the men and none of the women. Relapse to drug injecting during the week following release from prison was reported by 78/186 (42%) participants, in most cases (34%) on the very day of release.

Contrary to findings from other countries, low levels of HIV risk behaviour occur among imprisoned drug injectors in the Netherlands. Although noninjecting drug use in prison is common, drug injecting and the sharing of injecting equipment is rare. There appear to be no grounds for making clean needles and syringes available in Dutch prisons.