Subject(s)
Health Planning , Health Status , International Cooperation , Poverty , Aged , Child , Commerce/economics , Health Care Rationing , Health Planning/economics , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Middle Aged , Pakistan/epidemiology , United StatesSubject(s)
Ethics, Medical , Human Rights , Patient Advocacy , Philosophy, Medical , Public Health Practice , Public Health , Curriculum , Global Health , Humans , Public Health/educationSubject(s)
Industry/legislation & jurisprudence , Nicotiana , Plants, Toxic , Politics , Public Health/legislation & jurisprudence , Smoking Prevention , Smoking/legislation & jurisprudence , Forecasting , Humans , Taxes/legislation & jurisprudence , United States , United States Food and Drug Administration/legislation & jurisprudenceABSTRACT
The Washington, DC City Council authorized a pilot syringe exchange program to operate for only 60 days at a single drug abuse treatment facility in the District. Only adults on the waiting list for treatment were eligible (n = 467). Of the 33 who enrolled, median duration of drug injection was 18 years. Twenty-seven participants denied needle sharing. Of 209 needles distributed, 69% were returned. Low enrollment might have been due to restrictive entry criteria, inconvenient location, incorrect syringe size, and attitudes of treatment staff. For future efforts to have a public health impact, wider accessibility will be needed.
Subject(s)
Needle Sharing , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/rehabilitation , Adult , District of Columbia , Female , HIV Infections/prevention & control , HIV Infections/transmission , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , SyringesABSTRACT
During the screening and vaccination program for hepatitis B in state institutions for mentally retarded individuals, 7,273 staff and clients were screened. Of these, 1,561 persons (21.5%) had at least one marker. Of this number, 95.5% (N = 1,491) were positive for anti-HBc, and 77.8% (N = 1,214), for anti-HBs. Screening prior to vaccination, at a cost per person of $100, was cost effective when both anti-HBc and anti-HBs tests were performed on every individual; however, anti-HBc alone is the test of choice for a large-scale screening and vaccination program and is even more cost effective.
