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  • Title: Risk factors for HIV seropositivity in a sample of drug users in drug treatment in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
    Author: Tran SD, Williams AB, Truong HT, Do NH.
    Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol; 1998 Mar 01; 17(3):283-7. PubMed ID: 9495230.
    Abstract:
    The article describes drug use behaviors, AIDS knowledge, risks for HIV infection, and HIV seroprevalence in drug users entering rehabilitation in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A cross-sectional, descriptive survey of all new entrants to a residential drug treatment center was conducted with linked HIV serology between July 1 and July 14, 1995. A total of 105 subjects participated: 101 men and 4 women. HIV serostatus was available for 88 subjects. Forty-seven percent (41 of 88 subjects) were HIV-positive. Median age of the subjects was 38 years. Mean length of injection drug use was 13.2 years (range, 1-27 years). The primary drug of injection was opium (96%), although 59% of subjects also injected "Western" drugs such as sedatives or tranquilizers. Eighty-two percent (86 of 105 subjects) correctly answered at least 7 of 10 AIDS knowledge questions, and only 28% (27 of 97 subjects) reported any needle sharing in the last 5 years. Seropositivity was associated with a history of previous treatment for drug abuse (p = 0.002), longer history of injecting drugs (p = 0.003), use of Western drugs (p = 0.03), and higher educational level (p = 0.05). Multivariate analysis found that the independent predictors of HIV seropositivity were history of previous treatment for drug abuse (p = 0.06) and longer history of injecting drugs (p = 0.05). Despite low levels of self-reported needle sharing and high levels of AIDS knowledge, HIV seroprevalence was high in this sample. The potential for epidemic spread of HIV in Vietnamese drug users is substantial. Risk-reduction programs and intense AIDS education projects targeting the population of drug users are necessary to control the AIDS epidemic in Vietnam. A cross-sectional survey of all 105 new entrants to a residential drug treatment center in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, in a 2-week period in 1995 investigated HIV seroprevalence and its risk factors. The median age of study participants was 38 years and the mean length of injection drug use--primarily of opium--was 13.2 years. 86 drug users (82%) correctly answered at least 7 of 10 questions assessing knowledge of AIDS. Only 27 (28%) of the 97 intravenous drug users reported any needle-sharing in the last 5 years. Of the 88 subjects for whom HIV serostatus results were available, 41 (47%) were HIV-positive. Seropositivity was significantly associated with a history of previous treatment for drug use, longer history of injecting drugs, use of Western drugs, and higher educational level. The multivariate analysis identified 2 independent predictors of HIV seropositivity: history of previous treatment for drug abuse (odds ratio (OR), 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.00-1.58) and longer history of injecting drugs (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.00-1.14). These findings indicate the potential for epidemic spread of HIV among drug users in Viet Nam and pinpoint a need for risk-reduction programs in this population.
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