title: Hepatitis-B Infections among the Injection Drug Abusers: An Emerging Risk in Public Health, Bangladesh.
abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of Hepatitis-B (HBV) infection among the injection drugs abusers (IDUs). The research work was a cross-sectional study. A total of 400 IDUs were selected from July 2012 to June 2013 at the Outpatient Department of the Central Drug Addiction Treatment Center, Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They were selected consecutively following the purposive sampling method on the basis of defined selection criteria. Research instruments were a pre-tested interviewer questionnaire and blood specimen. Results showed that 79.70%(315) of the IDUs were found literate and 20.3%(85) illiterate. In present occupation, majority of them 60.5%(242) had no work and 39.5%(158) specific occupation. The mean age of them was 27.9±6.4 years. In marital status, 46.5%(186) were unmarried, 20.7%(83) married after addiction and 30.3%(121) married before addiction. Majority of the IDUs 75.2%(289) started their addiction with cannabis. In addition to injection drugs use, all of them were multiple drug abusers. In response to the sharing of needle, 35.7%(143) of the IDUs shared needle uncommonly and 64.3%(257) did not shared it at all. Ninety-three percent (372) of them were heterosexual and polygamous having extramarital sex with multiple partners. The quality of sex-partners was wife, friends, brothel & hotel based sex sellers and street sex sellers. Majority of IDUs {82.0%(328)} did not use condom at all and 15.5(62) sold blood several times in their lifetime. Seven percent {7.0%(28)} injection drug abusers had been suffering from hepatitis-B virus (HBV) infection. HBV infection was found to be significantly (p≥0.05) associated with the quality of sex partners and number of sex partners, and age and marital status. There is no significant association with sharing of needle particularly occasional sharing of needle. Altering the behaviors of IDUs, especially their sexual lifestyles, drug habit, using of disposable syringe without sharing of needle, and also alternative preventive measures against injection drugs are still the applicable way to control spread of the HBV among the IDUs in Bangladesh.
authors.affiliation: Dr Kazi Jahangir Hossain, Associate Professor Department of Health Education, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM), Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nandi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*