Logo-jrhs
J Res Health Sci. 2016;16(3): 116-121.
PMID: 27840338
PMCID: PMC7191024
Scopus ID: 84990852189
  Abstract View: 166
  PDF Download: 19

Original Article

Impact of HIV Status Notification on Risk Behaviors among Men Who Inject Drugs in Kermanshah, West of Iran

Alireza Noroozi, Ali Mirzazadeh, Ali Farhoudian, peter higgs, Hamid Reza Khankeh, Peter Higgs, Hamid Sharifi, Bahram Armoon, Mehdi Noroozi*
*Corresponding Author: Email: noroozimehdi04@gmail.com

Abstract

Background: It is unclear whether knowing of current HIV status is associated with change in injecting behaviors among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran. The objective of the present study was to determine whether awareness of HIV positive status is associated with a reduction in injecting risk behaviors, after matching for socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods: Five hundred male PWID were recruited in 2014 from two drop-in centers (DICs) in Kermanshah west of Iran. Trained interviewers collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, HIV testing and drug-related risk behaviors over the last month prior to interview using a structured questionnaire. Our primary exposure of interest was awareness of HIV status, used to group participants into three categories: positive, negative, unaware. We used coarsened exact matching to make the three groups statistically equivalent based on age, place of residence, education and income, and then compared them regarding the proportion of borrowing, lending and reuse of syringes.

Results: Matched sample (n=320) had a mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of 33.5 ±7.6 yr. Overall, 25% (95% CI: 14%, 32%) of participants reported “borrowing a syringe” in the past month and 15% (95% CI: 7%, 22%) of them reported “lending a used syringe” to others in the past month. In comparison to PWID who were unaware of their HIV status, those knew they were HIV positive (OR 1.68, CI95%1.32–2.81) or negative (OR 1.54; 95% CI: 1.28, 2.71) were both more likely to report borrowing syringes in past month.

Conclusions: PWID WHO know they are positive for HIV are more likely to borrow another person’s syringe, to report reuse of their own used syringes and less likely to report lending their syringes to others. Strategies to scale up HIV testing and counseling for PWID, which also increase awareness of HIV status, may decrease injecting related the risk behaviors.

First Name
 
Last Name
 
Email Address
 
Comments
 
Security code


Abstract View: 167

Your browser does not support the canvas element.


PDF Download: 19

Your browser does not support the canvas element.

Submitted: 12 May 2016
Revision: 03 Oct 2016
ePublished: 29 Aug 2016
EndNote EndNote

(Enw Format - Win & Mac)

BibTeX BibTeX

(Bib Format - Win & Mac)

Bookends Bookends

(Ris Format - Mac only)

EasyBib EasyBib

(Ris Format - Win & Mac)

Medlars Medlars

(Txt Format - Win & Mac)

Mendeley Web Mendeley Web
Mendeley Mendeley

(Ris Format - Win & Mac)

Papers Papers

(Ris Format - Win & Mac)

ProCite ProCite

(Ris Format - Win & Mac)

Reference Manager Reference Manager

(Ris Format - Win only)

Refworks Refworks

(Refworks Format - Win & Mac)

Zotero Zotero

(Ris Format - Firefox Plugin)