Need for medical and psychosocial services among injection drug users: a comparative study of needle exchange and methadone maintenance.

This study compares the prevalence of perceived and unmet needs of HIV-negative injection drug users (IDUs) not receiving drug treatment (n = 251) and those recruited from a methadone maintenance program (n = 312) in 1998. We studied self-reported needs for six community services: medical, mental health, housing, income assistance, alcohol treatment, and drug treatment. Respondents reported the highest levels of need for mental health and housing services. Ninety-four percent of out-of-treatment IDUs reported having at least one need compared to 62% of methadone clients (p < .001). Across all reported service needs, at least 69% of respondents in both cohorts reported their needs were unmet. While HIV-infected drug users receive assistance through the Ryan White CARE Act, these findings suggest that seronegative drug users may benefit from similar community service programs.