title: Risk factors and HIV seropositivity among injecting drug users in Bangkok.
abstract: Bangkok experienced an extremely rapid spread of HIV infection among drug injectors in 1987 and 1988. This study examines risk factors for HIV infection and deliberate risk-reduction efforts by drug injectors. Two subsamples of injecting drug users were recruited in November 1989, a group in drug-use treatment (n = 342) and a group new to the treatment system (n = 259). Subjects were interviewed about AIDS risk behavior, and a blood sample was collected for HIV testing. Seroprevalence was 39 and 27% in the in-treatment sample and the new-to-treatment sample, respectively. The in-treatment sample seroprevalence rate is similar to rates observed 6 and 12 months earlier. Three factors were independently associated with HIV infection: subsample, having been in prison, and sharing injection equipment with two or more individuals in the previous 6 months. Deliberate risk reduction was reported by 92% of individuals, with 59% reporting that they had stopped sharing injection equipment. It appears that large-scale risk reduction has greatly slowed HIV transmission among drug injectors in Bangkok.
authors.affiliation: Health Department Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Thailand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choopanya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanichseni
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Des Jarlais
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Plangsringarm
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sonchai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carballo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Friedmann
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016485:Needle Sharing; D011329:Prisoners; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology