       Document 0753
 DOCN  M9440753
 TI    Correlation between disease and community: is drug addiction a problem
       of fringe groups?
 DT    9404
 AU    Baumgarten R; 2nd Medical Division, County Hospital Prenzlauer Berg,
       Berlin,; Germany.
 SO    Forensic Sci Int. 1993 Nov;62(1-2):67-72. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94131385
 AB    Addiction, because of its associated psychological and physical
       diseases, is producing increasing expenses through social burden and
       influencing the epidemiological situation of the whole population via
       sexual or simple intimate social contacts. Outstanding infectious
       diseases with a high incidence in drug addicts are tuberculosis,
       hepatitis A, hepatitis B and the classical notifiable venereal diseases.
       Preventive measures are required, involving immunization and isolation.
       HIV infection is another increasing problem in drug addicts. The
       relatively long asymptomatic course in this population also raises the
       potential for the spread of AIDS to the general population. There is no
       ideal method for preventing this danger, but because the traditional
       abstinence paradigm has not been successful, methadone substitution is
       improving the medical compliance of this difficult clientele, reducing
       crime and prostitution and, at the same time, drug-associated risks for
       the general population.
 DE    Communicable Disease Control  Communicable
       Diseases/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/ETIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION  *Cost of Illness  Crime
       Female  Germany/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  *HIV Seroprevalence/TRENDS
       Incidence  Male  Methadone/THERAPEUTIC USE  Prostitution  *Public Health
       Quality of Life  Risk Factors  *Social Distance  *Social Isolation
       Substance Dependence/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/REHABILITATION  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

