title: HIV prevalence and risk behaviours among people who inject drugs in Iran: the 2010 National Surveillance Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of HIV and related risk behaviours among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a national cross-sectional bio-behavioural surveillance survey between March and July 2010, interviewing male PWID from a geographically dispersed sample through a facility-based sampling method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We recruited 2480, and tested 2290 PWID. The overall prevalence of HIV was 15.2% (95% CI 9.7% to 23.1%). Among those who had injected drugs over the last month, 36.9% had used a non-sterile needle, and 12.6% had practiced shared injection. Over the past 12 months preceding the interview, 30.4% had sold sex for money, drugs, goods or a favour. In the multivariate analysis, the prevalence of HIV had a positive association with age, while having above high school education, and permanent job were protective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unsafe injection, and sexual risk behaviours are still frequent and the prevalence of HIV among PWID remains high. Intensified efforts are needed to prevent the further spread of HIV among Iranian PWID and their sexual partners.
authors.affiliation: Regional Knowledge Hub, and WHO Collaborating Centre for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, , Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khajehkazemi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osooli
authors.forename: Leily
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sajadi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karamouzian
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sedaghat
authors.forename: Noushin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fahimfar
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safaie
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
authors.forename: Ali-Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Haghdoost
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: AIDS; Drug Misuse; Epidemiology (General); HIV
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