HIV screening & risk behaviour in psychoactive substance users.

Patients admitted to the Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, were screened for HIV antibodies. Out of 116 patients, 45 (39%) were injecting drug users (IDUs), 29 (25%) were other drug users and 42 (36%) were primary users of alcohol. One IDU was HIV seropositive (2.2% of the IDUs). Analysis of HIV-related risk behaviour showed that the IDUs were at high risk, because of needle sharing as also because of having multiple sex partners. The potential for HIV infection in these persons practising high-risk behaviour calls for timely preventive measures.