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In Hungary the “risk environment” is not quite as severe as in
Russian and in the West Balkan and the macro-environmental (especially
economic and social) components are not prevalent here. For example,
Hungary did not experience the rapid changes in population, the collapse
of its health-care and welfare systems, the precipitous economic, social
and cultural crises which took place in Russia. Hungarian drug policy,
which contains elements of harm reduction will also contribute to
preventing the massive spread of infectious diseases. For example, our
qualitative studies on injecting drug users (IDU) (1) underline the
importance of unlimited availability of injection equipment in pharmacies
and the help of needle exchange programs (however they are available only
in bigger cities).
While the HIV prevalence is zero among IDUs, the hepatitis C (HCV)
prevalence is about 30-35%. According to our experiences the HIV testing
is widespread, however the possibility of HCV testing is limited: either
in abstinence-oriented drug clinics or low threshold facilities. There is
an urgent need to improve the testing possibilities and increase the
coverage of the low threshold services in connection with IDUs (2).
1. Rácz, J: Injecting drug use, risk behaviour and risk environment
in Hungary: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Drug Policy,
2005 in press.
2. Gyarmathy, V. A., Rácz, J., Neaigus, A. & Ujhelyi, E. The urgent
need forHIV and hepatitits prevention in drug treatment programs in
Hungary. AIDS Education & Prevention; 2004;16, 3: 276-288.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
29 July 2005
József Rácz
researcher, psychiatrist
Institute for Psychology, Victor Hugo 18-22, Budapest - 1132
Risk environment in Hungary and need for sound public health response
In Hungary the “risk environment” is not quite as severe as in
Russian and in the West Balkan and the macro-environmental (especially
economic and social) components are not prevalent here. For example,
Hungary did not experience the rapid changes in population, the collapse
of its health-care and welfare systems, the precipitous economic, social
and cultural crises which took place in Russia. Hungarian drug policy,
which contains elements of harm reduction will also contribute to
preventing the massive spread of infectious diseases. For example, our
qualitative studies on injecting drug users (IDU) (1) underline the
importance of unlimited availability of injection equipment in pharmacies
and the help of needle exchange programs (however they are available only
in bigger cities).
While the HIV prevalence is zero among IDUs, the hepatitis C (HCV)
prevalence is about 30-35%. According to our experiences the HIV testing
is widespread, however the possibility of HCV testing is limited: either
in abstinence-oriented drug clinics or low threshold facilities. There is
an urgent need to improve the testing possibilities and increase the
coverage of the low threshold services in connection with IDUs (2).
1. Rácz, J: Injecting drug use, risk behaviour and risk environment
in Hungary: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Drug Policy,
2005 in press.
2. Gyarmathy, V. A., Rácz, J., Neaigus, A. & Ujhelyi, E. The urgent
need forHIV and hepatitits prevention in drug treatment programs in
Hungary. AIDS Education & Prevention; 2004;16, 3: 276-288.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests