title: Characteristics of high-risk sexual behaviors for human immunodeficiency virus infection among Iranian drug abusers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and the associated factors of high-risk sexual behaviors among drug abusers referred to a methadone clinic in Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province in the northeast of Iran, to help health care decision makers on designing interventional programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 400 drug abusers referred to our methadone clinic were evaluated for high-risk sexual behavior. A logistic regression model was fitted for the association between independent variables and high-risk sexual behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately a quarter of patients (25.5%) had high-risk sexual behavior among which 47% had not used a condom in their last sexual contact. Drug abusers who had poor economic status had a lower chance of high-risk sexual behavior than those with good economic status (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.13-0.96). Also, 1-year increase in age reduced the chance by 6% (AOR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.91-0.98). Heroin abusers, compared with opium abusers, had a duplicated chance of having high-risk sex (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.12-3.96).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to this study, high-risk sexual behavior in the drug abusers referred to methadone clinic was associated with younger age, good economic status, and heroin addiction. Hence, in interventional planning, more attention should be paid to young drug abusers, patients with good economic status, and heroin addicts as well.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keshtkar
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Majdzadeh
authors.forename: Saharnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nedjat
authors.forename: Mahin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholipour
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badakhshan
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qorbani
authors.forename: Mohammadali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vakili
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009892:Opium; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D009892:Opium