Prescribing syringes to prevent HIV: A survey of infectious disease and addiction medicine physicians in Rhode Island

Josiah D. Rich; Tom L. Whitlock; Christopher W. Towe; Michelle McKenzie; Valgerdur Runarsdottir; Moses Aboagye-Kumi; Scott Burris

doi:10.1081/JA-100103559

Prescribing syringes to prevent HIV: A survey of infectious disease and addiction medicine physicians in Rhode Island

Josiah D. Rich, Tom L. Whitlock, Christopher W. Towe, Michelle McKenzie, Valgerdur Runarsdottir, Moses Aboagye-Kumi, Scott Burris

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article describes the assessment of physicians' attitudes and practices regarding prescribing syringes to injection drug users (IDUs). A brief, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to all Infectious Disease and Addiction Medicine specialists in Rhode Island. Of 49 eligible physicians, 39 responded (response rate 80%). Most (95%) indicated that there is a legitimate medical reason for IDUs to obtain sterile syringes. Many (71%) agreed that they would prescribe syringes to prevent disease in IDUs if it were clearly legal to do so. We can conclude that physician syringe prescription to IDUs may be an acceptable supplement to existing HIV prevention strategies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	535-550
Number of pages	16
Journal	Substance Use and Misuse
Volume	36
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1081/JA-100103559
State	Published - 2001
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

HIV/AIDS
Harm reduction
Injection drug users
Prescription
Syringe

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine (miscellaneous)
Health(social science)
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Psychiatry and Mental health

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10.1081/JA-100103559

Cite this

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title = "Prescribing syringes to prevent HIV: A survey of infectious disease and addiction medicine physicians in Rhode Island",

abstract = "This article describes the assessment of physicians' attitudes and practices regarding prescribing syringes to injection drug users (IDUs). A brief, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to all Infectious Disease and Addiction Medicine specialists in Rhode Island. Of 49 eligible physicians, 39 responded (response rate 80%). Most (95%) indicated that there is a legitimate medical reason for IDUs to obtain sterile syringes. Many (71%) agreed that they would prescribe syringes to prevent disease in IDUs if it were clearly legal to do so. We can conclude that physician syringe prescription to IDUs may be an acceptable supplement to existing HIV prevention strategies.",

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note = "Funding Information: The authors wish to acknowledge the wise advice and inspiration of Jane Silver, MPH and T. Stephen Jones, the translational services of Juliana Stein and Charles Major Pettebone, and Margaret Abdalian for her help in preparing this manuscript. This work was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse K20 Grant #DA00268, Open Society Institute grant #282941581, American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) Grant #10630-26-EG, with partial support from NIH CFAR #P30-AI-42853 and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Grant #5KD1 TI12037.",

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AU - Runarsdottir, Valgerdur

AU - Aboagye-Kumi, Moses

AU - Burris, Scott

N1 - Funding Information: The authors wish to acknowledge the wise advice and inspiration of Jane Silver, MPH and T. Stephen Jones, the translational services of Juliana Stein and Charles Major Pettebone, and Margaret Abdalian for her help in preparing this manuscript. This work was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse K20 Grant #DA00268, Open Society Institute grant #282941581, American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) Grant #10630-26-EG, with partial support from NIH CFAR #P30-AI-42853 and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Grant #5KD1 TI12037.

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AB - This article describes the assessment of physicians' attitudes and practices regarding prescribing syringes to injection drug users (IDUs). A brief, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to all Infectious Disease and Addiction Medicine specialists in Rhode Island. Of 49 eligible physicians, 39 responded (response rate 80%). Most (95%) indicated that there is a legitimate medical reason for IDUs to obtain sterile syringes. Many (71%) agreed that they would prescribe syringes to prevent disease in IDUs if it were clearly legal to do so. We can conclude that physician syringe prescription to IDUs may be an acceptable supplement to existing HIV prevention strategies.

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Prescribing syringes to prevent HIV: A survey of infectious disease and addiction medicine physicians in Rhode Island

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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