title: Correlates of receptive and distributive needle sharing among injection drug users in Kabul, Afghanistan.
abstract: We describe receptive and distributive needle/syringe sharing among injection drug users (IDUs) in Kabul, Afghanistan. In this cross-sectional study, IDUs completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression identified correlates of needle sharing in the last six months. Receptive and distributive sharing in the last six months were reported by 28.2% and 28.7% of participants, respectively, and were both independently associated with reported difficulty obtaining new syringes (Receptive sharing: AOR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.66-4.06; Distributive: AOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.02-2.39). Receptive and distributive sharing are common among IDU in Kabul; scaling up availability of sterile, no-cost injecting equipment is urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of International Health and Cross-Cultural Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0622, USA. cstodd@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Catherine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: Abdullah M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abed
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Boulos A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Botros
authors.forename: Naqibullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Safi
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004203:Disinfection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013594:Syringes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution