Pubdate: Wed, 23 June 1999 Source: Tribune, The (CA) Copyright: 1999 San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune Contact: Address: P.O. Box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-0112 Website: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/ Author: Associated Press DRUG USERS FOUND LESS LIKELY TO GET NEW AIDS TREATMENTS WASHINGTON (AP) - Revolutionary AIDS drugs that have prolonged life for thousands of people are less likely to reach one class of vitims - those who contracted the virus through drug use, the first national study of treatment found. Blacks, Latinos, people with Medicaid and those without health health insurance were all less likely to get the new drugs and other important health care - particularly in early 1996, when the study began. Two years later, the gap had narrowed for some groups - notably Latinos and blacks. But it persisted for many others, including women, who are most likely to get HIV through sex with a drug user and were also less likely to be in treatment. "It's very clear there is a great divide in HIV care between the haves and the have-nots," said Dr. Martin F. Shapiro of the University of California Los Angeles, lead author of the study being published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Part of the explanation is simple economics. People infected through intravenous drug use, or sex with a drug user, generally have less money, less education and more life problems - all of which keep them from getting effective care. Someone who can't pay the rent or buy groceries or who is addicted to drugs may find getting medical care a low priority. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D