4th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment


Sydney, Australia - July 22 - 25, 2007

PREVALENCE OF HIV AND RISKY BEHAVIORS AMONG INJECTING DRUG USERS OF A PRISON IN TEHRAN

IAS Conf HIV Pathog Treat 2007 Jul 22-25;4th: Abstract No. MOAC203

Motevalian S.A.1, Farhoodi B.2, Motamedi M.3, Motevali Khamene M.4, Mohraz M.5, Rasoulinejad M.5, Jaafari S.5, Afshar P.4, Esmailie I.4, Mohseni L.4
1School of Public Health/Iran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Epidmiology, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 2School of Medicine, Tehran Azad University, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 3UNAIDS/ Country Office, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 4Correctional Facilities Organization, Health Office, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 5AIDS Research Center/Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of HIV and risky behaviors among injecting drug users (IDUs) of a prison in Tehran.

METHODS: This cross-sectional survey is the first phase of a cohort study to determine HIV incidence in IDU prisoners. Two groups of IDUs were included: 369 who had newly entered the prison and 371 others who had been staying in the prison for at least one week. Prisoners with evidence of drug injection were recruited to the study if they signed the written informed consent. After a counseling, they were interviewed and they submitted two blood samples for HIV Ab (ELISA and Western blot).

RESULTS: Among 369 new entrants, 81 (22.0%) were HIV positive. Sixty nine (18.7%) of this group didn’t have any imprisonment history; 4 (6%) of whom were HIV positive. About one fifth of this group shared injection equipment in the last drug injection, one third of them had ever injected inside prison and 6% of the subjects started to inject inside the prison. In the group of 371 past residents of the prison; 89 (24.0%) were HIV positive. About 43% shared their injection equipment in the last drug injection, above half of the subjects had ever injected inside prison and 21% of them started to inject inside the prison. Logistic regression analysis showed that younger age at first drug injection, lower education level, duration of drug injection, duration of imprisonment, frequent sharing of injection equipment, drug injection inside prison and tattooing outside prison were associated with HIV infection.

CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high prevalence of HIV and risky behaviors among IDUs in the studied prison. This emphasizes the necessity of sustainable harm reduction programs. To protect general population from this epidemic, special programs should be targeted to the sexual partners of this high risk group.

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2007-07-22
MOAC203
Global Responses to HIV Prevention Among Injection Drug Users

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