Prison experience of injecting drug users in Glasgow.

Five hundred three injecting drug users in Glasgow recruited by a multisite and citywide sampling strategy were questioned regarding their drug-taking behaviour during episodes of custody over the six months prior to interview. Fifty-two percent had been in custody during the past 6 months, 16% of these had injected while in custody. Of these 73% borrowed injecting equipment and 78% handed on used equipment to others. All those who shared, cleaned their injecting sets before use. Over half of those who injected had a source of new sets. While the potential exists for spread of HIV among drug users while in custody there is clear understanding among them of the route by which the virus is spread and also the will to prevent it.

Prevalence of HIV among childbearing women and women having termination of pregnancy: multidisciplinary steering group study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women, in particular those whose behaviour or that of their partners put them at "low risk" of infection. DESIGN: Voluntary named or anonymous HIV testing of pregnant women during 21 months (November 1988 to July 1990). SUBJECTS AND SETTING: All women who planned to continue their pregnancy and attended clinics serving the antenatal populations of Edinburgh and Dundee. All women admitted for termination of pregnancy to gynaecology wards serving the pregnant populations of Dundee and outlying rural areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Period prevalence of HIV antibody positivity. RESULTS: 91% of antenatal clinic attenders and 97% of women having termination of pregnancy agreed to HIV testing on a named or anonymous basis. HIV period prevalences for antenatal clinic attenders and women having termination of pregnancy tested in Dundee were 0.13% and 0.85% respectively, and for antenatal clinic attenders tested in Edinburgh 0.26%. For those at "low risk" rates for antenatal clinic attenders and women having termination of pregnancy in Dundee were 0.11% and 0.13%, and for antenatal clinic attenders in Edinburgh 0.02%. In Dundee HIV prevalence among women having a termination of pregnancy (0.85%) was significantly greater than that among antenatal clinic attenders (0.13%). CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection is undoubtedly occurring among women at "low risk," and it is clear that a policy of selective testing of those at only "high risk" is inadequate for pregnant women living in areas of high prevalence such as Edinburgh and Dundee. Moreover, when studying pregnant populations in such areas there is the need to include those having a termination of pregnancy.

PIP: This study sought to determine the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women, in particular those whose behavior or that of their partners put them at low-risk for infection. This was a voluntary named or anonymous HIV testing of pregnant women between November 1988-July 1990 among all women who planned to continue their pregnancies and attended clinics serving antenatal populations in Edinburgh and Dundee and those women admitted for termination of pregnancy to gynecology wards serving the pregnant populations of Dundee and outlying rural areas. 91% of the antenatal clinic attenders and 97% of women having pregnancy termination agreed to HIV testing on either a named or anonymous basis. HIV period prevalences for antenatal clinic attenders and women having pregnancy termination tested in Dundee were 0.13% and 0.85% respectively, and for antenatal clinic attenders tested in Edinburgh 0.26%. For those at low-risk, the rates for antenatal clinic attenders and women having pregnancy termination in Dundee were 0.11% and 0.13%, and for antenatal clinic attenders in Edinburgh 0.02%. In Dundee, HIV prevalence among women having a termination of pregnancy (0.95%) was significantly greater than that among antenatal clinic attenders (0.13%). HIV infection is undoubtedly occurring among low-risk women and it is clear that a policy of selective testing of those only at high-risk is inadequate for pregnant women living in areas of high prevalence such as Edinburgh and Dundee. Moreover, when studying pregnant populations in such areas, there is a need to include those undergoing pregnancy termination.

What do Scots die of when abroad?

Information was obtained on 952 persons who travelled from Scotland between 1973 and 1988 and who died while abroad. In the older age group cardio-vascular disease was the major cause of death whereas in the younger group traumatic deaths were commonest. Most died in the holiday resorts bordering the Mediterranean and the question is posed on the need for specific advice to those who are most vulnerable before embarking on overseas travel.