Factors associated with HIV seroprevalence among intravenous drug users in Yangon

ABSTRACT

A crosss-sectional seroprevalence survey was undertaken to determine seroprevalence of HIV infection and the factors associated with HIV seropositivity among the newly registered 205 male intravenous drug users (IVDUs) at the Drug Dependency Treatment and Research Unit in Yangon from December 1991 to September 1992. Of the 178 individuals tested for HIV antibodies, 60.1 percent were found to be positive, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) being 51.4 percent and 68.9 Percent. Moreover, the risk of getting HIV infection was higher among IVDUs aged 30 years or above than those aged below 25 years [Odds ratio (OR) = 2.76, 95 Percent CI 1.12, 6.81]; IVDUs using drug of over 18 months than those using 6 months or less (OR = 5.07; 95 Percent CI 2.36, 10.87) IVDUs sharing syringes and needles with two or more persons than those who did not share (OR = 2.45; 95 Percent CI 1.02, 5.89); IVDUs visiting to professional drug injectors for initiation of habit than those who did not visit (OR = 2.27; 95 Persent CI 0.96, 5.37); and IVDUs who had hiven history of imprisonment than those who had not (OR = 2.65; 95 Percent CI 1.04, 6.75). In addition, the above two variables, viz, age and duration of drug use did not confound the effect of needle sharing on HIV infection among the IVDUs. The strengths and weaknesses of the study design and the implications of the study to AIDS control are discussed.