Integrated Bio-Behavioral Survey (IBBS) Among Male Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in Western To Far Estern Terai 2005

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HIV transmission among drug users is associated with injecting drug use that involves the sharing of needles or syringes. Risky sexual behavior associated with drug use also contributes to the spread of HIV. Injecting drug users function as a “bridging population” for HIV transmission between a core HIV risk group, other high-risk groups and the general population. The main objective of this study was “to estimate the prevalence rate of HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) and assess their risky behavior". The study was conducted among IDUs in the municipalities and highway areas of Rupandehi, Banke, Kailali and Kanchanpurdistricts of the Western to Far Western Terai. Three hundred male IDUswere sampled using the respondent driven sampling (RDS) methodology. While structured questionnaires were used to collect behavioral data, clinical blood tests were used to determine the rate of HIV infection. The clinical test procedure used involved collecting blood from a subject’s pricked finger and then storing it in 2-4 capillary tubes until tests could be performed. In order to determine a participant's infection status, a rapid test kit algorithm was used in which two rapid tests (Capillus and Determine) were initially conducted with Uni-Gold reserved as a tie-breaker. In terms of socio-demographic characteristics, the study found that the median age of the IDUs was 25 years. About half of them were previously or currently married. The median age at marriage was 21 years. A majority of the IDUs had formal schooling. IDUs from different ethnic backgrounds participated in the study. The IDUs had been injecting drugs for 4.3 years on average. Two-fifths of them got into the habit before or when they were 20 years old. A majority of the IDUs (50.6%) were found to be injecting drugs at least once a week, and 37.3% did so at least once daily during the past week. The most common illicit drug used by the IDUs was a combination of different drugs. Around 59% of the IDUs reported that they had not shared needles/syringes during the past week. However, about one-fourth of the IDUs shared syringes/needles, and the practice was usually limited to two or more friends. Among all the IDUs, 83% reported having injected drugs in another part of the country or in another country