Past Issues
A Survey of Patients’ Attitude towards the Needle Exchange Program
Shih-Ming Li, I-Mei Lin, Yu-Fang Yu, Yi-Ming Chen
In the United States of America, human immunodefi
ciency virus (HIV) is most commonly
transmitted through sexual behavior or sharing
needles with an infected person (www.cdc.gov/
hiv). Intravenous drug users (IDUs) are the highrisk
group for patients with HIV infection [1]. The
needle exchange program (NEP) is considered to
be one of the most effective methods of reducing
HIV transmission among IDUs [1].
There is a social stigma about the NEP program
of injecting drug use. This stigma may make
the public reluctant to let IDUs use the NEP. To
make situation worse, the IDUs perceive multiple
stigmas and keep them away from the NEP [2].
The purpose of present survey is to explore the
predictors of NEP attitudes in IDUs.
ciency virus (HIV) is most commonly
transmitted through sexual behavior or sharing
needles with an infected person (www.cdc.gov/
hiv). Intravenous drug users (IDUs) are the highrisk
group for patients with HIV infection [1]. The
needle exchange program (NEP) is considered to
be one of the most effective methods of reducing
HIV transmission among IDUs [1].
There is a social stigma about the NEP program
of injecting drug use. This stigma may make
the public reluctant to let IDUs use the NEP. To
make situation worse, the IDUs perceive multiple
stigmas and keep them away from the NEP [2].
The purpose of present survey is to explore the
predictors of NEP attitudes in IDUs.
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