title: Ability to access community-based needle-syringe programs and injecting behaviors among drug users: a cross-sectional study in Hunan Province, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Needle-syringe exchange programs (NSPs) have been substantially rolled-out in China since 2002. Limited studies reported effectiveness of NSPs in a Chinese setting. This study aimed to assess the association between accessibility to NSPs and drug-use risk behaviors of IDUs by investigating primary (self-reported) data of IDUs recruited from NSP sites, community settings and mandatory detoxification centers (MDCs) in Hunan province, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hunan province in 2010. IDU recruits participated in a face-to-face interview to provide information related to their ability to access NSPs, demographic characteristics, and injecting behaviors in the past 30 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total 402 participants, 35%, 14% and 51% participants indicated low, medium and high ability to access NSPs in the past 30 days, respectively. A significantly higher proportion of IDUs (77.3%) from the high-access group reported ≤2 injecting episodes per day compared with medium- (46.3%) and low-access (58.8%) groups. Only 29.0% of high-access IDUs re-used syringes before disposal in the past 30 days, significantly lower than those in the medium- (43.1%) and low-access (41.3%) groups. Reported levels of needle/syringe sharing decreased significantly as the ability to access NSPs increased (16.3%, 12.7% and 2.5% in the low, medium and high access groups, respectively). Ninety percent of IDUs recruited from MDCs had low ability to access NSPs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased NSP accessibility is associated with decreased levels of injecting frequency, repetitive use and sharing of injecting equipment among Chinese IDUs. Mandatory detention of IDUs remains as a major barrier for IDUs to access NSPs in China.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Zheng
authors: Junshi
authors: J
authors: Zhao
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Jing
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Eric P F
authors: EP
authors: Chow
authors: David P
authors: DP
authors: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
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