Katalin Melles

Sex and drugs: the correlations of injecting drug users' risk perception and behavioral patterns.

A low-level blood-borne virus infection exists among Hungarys injecting drug users (IDUs). Assessing the relationship between risk perception and risk behaviors is necessary in order to predict future drug-injecting trends. During 1999 –and 2000, 197 IDUs were interviewed in Budapest using the Risk Assessment Questionnaire developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Certain IDUs perceived high risks but did not act accordingly. High-risk perception of sexual behavior correlates with high-risk perception of drug use, which should be taken into consideration when planning intervention strategies targeting IDUs. Additional research with a larger sample is needed to explain our results in more detail. The studys limitations have been noted.

Communicating the principle of ‘treatment instead of punishment’ in Hungary on the basis of an examination of the patients at a drug outpatient clinic

Aims: Drug use is an indictable offence in Hungary, but there is an opportunity to suspend the criminal proceedings if a small quantity of drugs is involved. However, the principle of ‘treatment instead of punishment’ (TIP) is heavily disputed in the professional literature. This study addresses the impact of the legal implementation of TIP on the practices of an institution that treats drug patients. Methods: Data were analysed on the basis of addiction severity index (ASI) interviews conducted with individuals (n = 628) who applied for treatment at a Budapest drug outpatient clinic between 2001 and 2005. The ASIs of individuals who chose TIP were compared with those of other drug patients using cluster analysis and a two-sample statistical t-test. Findings: After 2003, when the criminal law changed, the share of participants in TIP increased from 24% to 72.6%. Approximately, half the sample required treatment but did not have any problems. From 2003, the share of patients ‘without problems’ who chose TIP was high (60%). Conclusions: A modification of the TIP framework is justified for Hungarys criminal administration policy, which should consider the severity of the condition of the person utilizing the service in connection with drug use.

How theory is put into practice: the analysis of in-treatment drug users under “treatment alternative to prison” in an outpatient centre in Budapest

A „buntetes helyett kezeles” elve a szakirodalomban elenken vitatott kerdes. Kabitoszer-bűncselekmenyekben ezt a lehetőseget Magyarorszagon az 1993. evi buntető torvenykonyv modositasa teremtette meg. 2003-ban jelentősen kibővult ez a jogi lehetőseg. Celkitűzes: Bemutatni, hogyan ervenyesul egy fővarosi, drogbetegekkel foglalkozo kezelőintezmeny gyakorlataban ez az elv 2001–2005 kozott; valoban kezelesre szorulo drogbetegek kerulnek-e ilyen modon a kezelőrendszerbe, illetve eleri-e ez a jogintezmeny a kezelesre szorulo celcsoportokat. Modszer: A szerzők egy fővarosi drogambulancia 2001 es 2005 kozott kezelesre jelentkező betegeinek addikcios sulyossagi index interju alapjan nyert adatait elemeztek ( n = 628). A „buntetes helyett kezeles”-t valasztok es a tobbi drogbeteg sulyossagi indexenek osszehasonlitasa klaszterelemzessel es ketmintas statisztikai T-probaval tortent. Eredmenyek: 2003-at kovetően a „buntetes helyett kezelesben” reszt vevők aranya 24%-rol 72,6%-ra nőtt (szignifikans elteres). Jol elkulo...