R.I. An in-depth evaluation is ongoing. Participants, who are recruited through a variety of methods, are screened by telephone, then interviewed in person. They must be older than 18 years and have injected in the last 30 days. A physician conducts the examination then prescribes the free syringes, usually 100 at a time. Patients are given a free biohazard bucket and information on safe injection and syringe disposal.
Patients can return as needed for medical visits and more syringes.
Questionnaires are administered at three-month intervals. That the physician-patient interaction is based on the acknowledgement of injecting behaviors engenders trust . . . The participants . . . understand that physicians are trying to help them in a nonjudgmental way, and they are quite appreciative of the efforts. Clients appear not to be requesting prescriptions for more syringes than they are using, although some have reported occasionally providing syringes to others in need. Most participants report appropriate disposal of syringes.