In several developing countries, IV drug use has been a.
countries have been resistant in acknowledging this problem.
and hesitant to implement strategies in order to limit the.
spread of this fatal disease. One of the problems.
developing countries face in this area, is a lack of.
information on drug use in these countries, as well as the.
correlation between drug use and the transmission of HIV. .
The information necessary to develop effective policies to.
prevent the spread of HIV, is patterns and determinants of.
drug use, as well as the factors which are causing the.
spread of the disease.
In over 50 developing countries, IV drug use has been.
identified, and the transmission of HIV through IV drug use.
has been reported in at least half of these countries.
(Stimson 1996) Also contributing to the spread of the.
disease is the risky sexual behavior that is associated with.
IV drug use. IV drug users are viewed as a group which.
partakes in risky behavior, and then act as a bridge for the.
virus into the "general population" (Des Jarlais, 1992) .
Therefore, in some of these developing countries, members of.
this group include sexual partners and children of IV drug.
users. This fact effects the government's decisions on.
prevention strategies, how much needs to be spent, and what.
needs to be taught to the people included in this risk.
group. .
Spread of HIV.
The rate at which HIV is spread in developing countries.
varies. Some countries have experienced very rapid.
increases in HIV infection among IV drug users in a short.
amount of time, going from 0 percent to 50 percent in six.
months (Stimson, 1996) This rapid transmission occurs for.
two reasons. First, there is a lack of education on HIV and.
how it is transmitted. There is also a lack of awareness of.
an HIV threat among IV drug users, which appears to.
expediate HIV transmission (Des Jarlais, 1992) Second, the.
mechanisms used for efficient mixing , including shooting.
galleries, use of dealers" works, and groups of IV drug.