Key findings
- HIV antibody prevalence remained low, nationally, at less than two percent, except among male participants reporting homosexual identity (37.5% in 2009).
- The decline in HCV antibody prevalence was observed in all states and territories with the exception of South Australia where a substantial decline in prevalence was observed in 2008.
- While the median age of survey participants increased in recent survey years, median age did not increase in 2009 and remained stable at 36 years in both 2008 and 2009.
- The proportion of participants reporting daily or more frequent injection in the month prior to the survey remained stable at between 47% and 50% over the last five years.
- Receptive sharing of needles and syringes was reported by around 15% of participants in all of the past five survey years. Reports of receptive sharing of ancillary equipment were more common, reported by around one third of participants. Around one quarter of participants reported reuse of needles and syringe in the month prior to survey completion.