HIV and STI prevalence and injection behaviors among people who inject drugs in Nairobi: Results from a 2011 bio-behavioral study using respondent-driven sampling
Document Type
Article (peer-reviewed)
Publication Date
2015
Abstract
There is a dearth of evidence on injection drug use and associated HIV infections in Kenya. To generate population-based estimates of characteristics and HIV/STI prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Nairobi, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 269 PWID using respondent-driven sampling. PWID were predominantly male (92.5%). An estimated 67.3% engaged in at least one risky injection practice in a typical month. HIV prevalence was 18.7% (95% CI 12.3–26.7), while STI prevalence was lower [syphilis: 1.7% (95% CI 0.2–6.0); gonorrhea: 1.5% (95% CI 0.1–4.9); and Chlamydia: 4.2% (95% CI 1.2–7.8)]. HIV infection was associated with being female (aOR, 3.5; p = 0.048), having first injected drugs 5 or more years ago (aOR, 4.3; p = 0.002), and ever having practiced receptive syringe sharing (aOR, 6.2; p = 0.001). Comprehensive harm reduction programs tailored toward PWID and their sex partners must be fully implemented as part of Kenya’s national HIV prevention strategy.
Recommended Citation
Tun, Waimar, Meredith Sheehy, Dita Broz, Jerry Okal, Nicholas Muraguri, H. Fisher Raymond, Helgar Musyoki, Andrea Kim, Mercy Muthui, and Scott Geibel. 2015. "HIV and STI prevalence and injection behaviors among people who inject drugs in Nairobi: Results from a 2011 bio-behavioral study using respondent-driven sampling," AIDS and Behavior 19(1): S24–S35.
DOI
10.1007/s10461-014-0936-3
Language
English