BACKGROUND: Research evidence indicates that prisoners in Iran are at risk of drug-related harm, including acquisition of blood-borne infections. In response, several prevention interventions including methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have been introduced into prisons in Iran. METHODS: This report reviews and presents some important information extracted from published articles, and available documents on HIV sentinel surveillance and provision of MMT inside correctional settings in Iran. RESULTS: Biological surveillance data in 2005 showed that on average about 3% of prisoners in the country tested positive for HIV infection. MTT that constitutes a main component of the Prison Organisation's HIV prevention package is becoming increasingly accessible to opioid-dependent prisoners. Between 2002 and 2008, the number of opioid-dependent prisoners receiving MMT increased steadily from 100 to more than 25000. CONCLUSION: Experiences in Iran suggest that access to MMT would be helpful for reducing illicit drug injection in a prison setting and can be considered as a major intervention for preventing the transmission of blood-borne infections among prisoners. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
BACKGROUND: Research evidence indicates that prisoners in Iran are at risk of drug-related harm, including acquisition of blood-borne infections. In response, several prevention interventions including methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have been introduced into prisons in Iran. METHODS: This report reviews and presents some important information extracted from published articles, and available documents on HIV sentinel surveillance and provision of MMT inside correctional settings in Iran. RESULTS: Biological surveillance data in 2005 showed that on average about 3% of prisoners in the country tested positive for HIV infection. MTT that constitutes a main component of the Prison Organisation's HIV prevention package is becoming increasingly accessible to opioid-dependent prisoners. Between 2002 and 2008, the number of opioid-dependent prisoners receiving MMT increased steadily from 100 to more than 25000. CONCLUSION: Experiences in Iran suggest that access to MMT would be helpful for reducing illicit drug injection in a prison setting and can be considered as a major intervention for preventing the transmission of blood-borne infections among prisoners. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors: Hajar Shekarchizadeh; Mohammad R Khami; Simin Z Mohebbi; Hamed Ekhtiari; Jorma I Virtanen Journal: Iran J Public Health Date: 2013-09 Impact factor: 1.429
Authors: Mohammad Reza Aflatoonian; Iraj Sharifi; Maryam Hakimi Parizi; Ali Reza Fekri; Behnaz Aflatoonian; Maryam Sharifi; Ahmad Khosravi; Ali Khamesipour; Hamid Sharifi Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-02-20 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Liping Yan; Enwu Liu; Jennifer M McGoogan; Song Duan; Li-Tzy Wu; Scott Comulada; Zunyou Wu Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-08-13 Impact factor: 3.295