“Research published in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes has identified the jurisdictions in the United States especially vulnerable to the rapid spread of HIV or HCV due to unsafe injecting drug use. A total of 220 counties in 26 states had a high level of vulnerability, with factors associated with unsafe injecting including high rates of death due to drug overdose, unemployment and poverty.
“We have developed a model to identify US counties potentially vulnerable to rapid spread of HIV, if introduced, and new or continuing high numbers of HCV infections among PWID [people who inject drugs],” comment the authors. “Jurisdictions identified as at-risk might use potentially informative local data that were not available nationally and take action.”
Source: AidsMap.com – June 21, 2016
