TY - JOUR
T1 - Syringe Distribution to Injection Drug Users for Prevention of HIV Infection
T2 - Opinions and Practices of Health Care Providers in New York City
AU - Coffin, Phillip O.
AU - Fuller, Crystal
AU - Blaney, Shannon
AU - Vadnai, Liza
AU - Miller, Sarah
AU - Vlahov, David
N1 - Funding Information:
Financial support: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
PY - 2004/2/1
Y1 - 2004/2/1
N2 - The Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP), which was intended to increase access to syringes for injection drug users (IDUs), went into effect in New York State on 1 January 2001. ESAP allowed prescription-authorized health care providers to register to distribute syringes without a prescription. In spring 2002, we conducted a random postal survey of 1100 providers in New York City to evaluate involvement in ESAP and willingness to furnish IDUs with syringes. Among 363 nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants responding, 16.9% knew about ESAP, and 2. 0% believed they were registered; 50.5% would consider distributing syringes to patients who were IDUs. Most of those unwilling to distribute syringes were concerned about legal and moral issues. More respondents agreed that providers should prescribe syringes than distribute syringes (41.1% vs. 22.7%; P < .0001). These results suggest that many providers are willing to furnish IDUs with syringes but are unaware of the current law.
AB - The Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP), which was intended to increase access to syringes for injection drug users (IDUs), went into effect in New York State on 1 January 2001. ESAP allowed prescription-authorized health care providers to register to distribute syringes without a prescription. In spring 2002, we conducted a random postal survey of 1100 providers in New York City to evaluate involvement in ESAP and willingness to furnish IDUs with syringes. Among 363 nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants responding, 16.9% knew about ESAP, and 2. 0% believed they were registered; 50.5% would consider distributing syringes to patients who were IDUs. Most of those unwilling to distribute syringes were concerned about legal and moral issues. More respondents agreed that providers should prescribe syringes than distribute syringes (41.1% vs. 22.7%; P < .0001). These results suggest that many providers are willing to furnish IDUs with syringes but are unaware of the current law.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1042288565&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=1042288565&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/381095
DO - 10.1086/381095
M3 - Article
C2 - 14727219
AN - SCOPUS:1042288565
SN - 1058-4838
VL - 38
SP - 438
EP - 441
JO - Clinical Infectious Diseases
JF - Clinical Infectious Diseases
IS - 3
ER -