Work

Refining HIV Risk: The Modifying Effects of Youth, Gender and Education among People Who Inject Drugs in Poland

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine specific factors placing young (aged <30) women who inject drugs at higher risk for HIV, and to establish the need for targeted interventions within this population. METHODS: A national cross-sectional sero-survey was conducted in 2004-2005 in six regions in Poland. A snowball sample of ever-injectors was recruited from drug treatment facilities and the surrounding community. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs). RESULTS: A total of 491 injection drug users younger than 30 were recruited, of whom 159 were women and 332 were men. The prevalence of HIV was 16.4% and 9.6% among women and men, respectively. In multivariate analysis, young female injectors whose education terminated at the primary level were more likely to be HIV-positive compared to males with a similar level of education (PR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.86-6.00) and more highly educated women (PR = 4.16, 95% CI = 2.21-7.82). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms an elevated risk of HIV among under-educated young women. Suggestions for specific interventions to reduce HIV transmission are presented. Additional research is needed to quantify the differential distribution of risk behaviors which amplify their likelihood of transmission.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068018

Authors: Michal Czerwinski, Louise-Anne McNutt, Jack A. DeHovitz, Andrzej Zielinski, Magdalena Rosinska

Institutions: Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Language: English

Topic: HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,382