AEGiS-13IAC: Peer education for HIV/STD prevention among community-based drug users in Guangxi Province, Southern China.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Peer education for HIV/STD prevention among community-based drug users in Guangxi Province, Southern China.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. WeOrC500)

Wei L, Chen J, Li R, Liang S, Zhu Q, Li Z, Razak MH, Beyrer C
L. Wei, HIV/AIDS Surveillance & Testing Center, Guangxi Health & Anti-epidemic Center, 80 Taoyuan Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China, Tel.: +86 771 532 7110, Fax: +86 771 531 6432, E-mail: gastcWpublic.nn.gx.cn

ISSUES: Pingxiang City, on the China-Vietnam border, has had a recent explosive outbreak of HIV infection among drug users (IDU) associated with an important cross-border heroin trafficking route. Community-based prevention programs for IDU are new to China, and are urgently needed to prevent further spread. Project: HIV infections among IDU in Pingxiang were first identified in 1996; high rates of needle sharing (65% of 227 IDU screened in 1997) and low rates of condom use led to an HIV prevalence of 22% of IDU by late 1997. Key informant interviews suggested that IDU had little knowledge of HIV spread, and were eager to participate in community-based programs. IDU peers were identified through snowball outreach. In 1998, we trained 22 active and past IDU in peer outreach, safer injection and safer sex skills, and in condom promotion for their peers in China's first IDU peer education in an outpatient setting. Peer educators met weekly and had monthly progress interviews. Condoms were distributed free of charge. IDU in the community were also enrolled in an ongoing sero-incidence cohort.

RESULTS: IDU peer educators were able to reach and train a mean of 10 injectors in safer sex and safer injection. The peer educators knowledge and skills improved significantly. Rates of reported needle sharing among IDU in the community decreased. In the Pingxiang cohort of IDU, HIV incidence was 12/100PY in 1998, and 7/100PY in 1999. Lessons Learned: Peer education for IDU is feasible in China, and appears to be a useful approach to reaching and educating IDU in the community. Preliminary data suggest this intervention may have reduced incident HIV infections among these IDU.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, China, Needle Sharing, HIV Seropositivity, Prevalence, Safe Sex, Incidence, Condoms, Demography, Vietnam, prevention & control, Education
000709
WeOrC500