HIV incidence, retention, and changes of high-risk behaviors among rural injection drug users in Guangxi, China.
BACKGROUND
A prospective observational study of HIV seroincidence among high-risk injection drug users (IDU) was carried out in Guangxi, China. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to estimate HIV seroincidence (2) to estimate participant retention rate and (3) to evaluate changes in drug use and sexual behavior over a one year period.


METHODS
Five hundred HIV seronegative IDU were enrolled. HIV-1 incidence and retention rates were analyzed as a function of sociodemographic, behavioral, and recruitment variables. Changes in drug use and sexual behavior were analyzed at the baseline, 6-month and 12-month follow- up visits.


RESULTS
At 12 months of follow-up, the HIV-1 incidence rate was 3.1 per 100 person years, [95% CI: (1.6%; 5.2%)] and participant retention rate was 87%. Reported changes in high-risk behaviors over 12-months included significant decreases in the frequency of heroin injection, in direct or indirect sharing of injection equipment, and in the number of sexual partners.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV incidence is high among IDU in Guangxi, China despite a self-reported decrease in some high risk behaviors over the course of the study.
Wei
Liu
L
Guangxi Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, China.
Chen
Jie
J
Rodolph
Michelle
M
Beauchamp
Geetha
G
Mâsse
Ben
B
Li
Rongjian
R
Wang
Shaoping
S
Ruan
Yuhua
Y
Lai
Shenghan
S
Zhang
Li
L
Zhou
Feng
F
Rose
Scott M
SM
Perdue
Thomas
T
Lai
Shenghan
S
Shao
Yiming
Y
Jackson
J Brooks
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex