Biomaterial Database

Syringe exchange in the United States, 1996: a national profile. 1999

D Paone, and J Clark, and Q Shi, and D Purchase, and D C Des Jarlais

Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY 10003, USA. dpaone@ix.netcom.com

OBJECTIVE This paper provides 1996 information on the status of US syringe exchange programs and compares these findings with data from our 1994 survey. METHODS In November 1996, questionnaires were mailed to 101 syringe exchange programs. Program directors were contacted to conduct telephone interviews based on the mailed questionnaires. Data collected included number of syringes exchanged, syringe exchange program operations, legal status, and services offered. RESULTS Eighty-seven programs participated in the survey. A total of 46 (53%) were legal, 20 (23%) were illegal but tolerated, and 21 (24%) were illegal-underground. Since 1994, there has been a 54% increase in the number of cities and a 38% increase in the number of states with syringe exchange programs. Eighty-four programs reported exchanging approximately 14 million syringes, a 75% increase from 1994. Syringe exchange programs also provided a variety of other services and supplies, and legal programs were more likely than illegal ones to provide these services. CONCLUSIONS Despite continued lack of federal funding, syringe exchange programs expanded in terms of the number of syringes exchanged, the geographic distribution of programs, and the range of services offered.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009937	Organizational Objectives	The purposes, missions, and goals of an individual organization or its units, established through administrative processes. It includes an organization's long-range plans and administrative philosophy.	Goal Setting, Organizational,Goals, Organizational,Objectives, Organizational,Organizational Goals,Goal Settings, Organizational,Goal, Organizational,Objective, Organizational,Organizational Goal,Organizational Goal Setting,Organizational Goal Settings,Organizational Objective,Setting, Organizational Goal,Settings, Organizational Goal
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D015397	Program Evaluation	Studies designed to assess the efficacy of programs. They may include the evaluation of cost-effectiveness, the extent to which objectives are met, or impact.	Evaluation, Program,Family Planning Program Evaluation,Program Appropriateness,Program Effectiveness,Program Sustainability,Appropriateness, Program,Effectiveness, Program,Evaluations, Program,Program Evaluations,Program Sustainabilities,Sustainabilities, Program,Sustainability, Program
D018671	Needle-Exchange Programs	Organized services for exchange of sterile needles and syringes used for injections as a potential means of reducing the transmission of infectious diseases.	Needle-Exchange Program,Supervised Injecting Centers,Supervised Injecting Facilities,Supervised Injecting Facility,Syringe-Exchange Program,Syringe-Exchange Programs,Center, Supervised Injecting,Centers, Supervised Injecting,Facilities, Supervised Injecting,Facility, Supervised Injecting,Injecting Center, Supervised,Injecting Centers, Supervised,Injecting Facilities, Supervised,Injecting Facility, Supervised,Needle Exchange Program,Needle Exchange Programs,Program, Needle-Exchange,Program, Syringe-Exchange,Programs, Needle-Exchange,Programs, Syringe-Exchange,Supervised Injecting Center,Syringe Exchange Program,Syringe Exchange Programs
D019538	Health Care Surveys	Statistical measures of utilization and other aspects of the provision of health care services including hospitalization and ambulatory care.	Healthcare Surveys,National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey,National Hospital Discharge Survey,Care Survey, Health,Care Surveys, Health,Health Care Survey,Healthcare Survey,Survey, Health Care,Survey, Healthcare,Surveys, Health Care,Surveys, Healthcare