<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_1905-7415.1006.531_s_001_w2aab3b7b8b1b6b1aab1c17b1Aa"><h3>Background</h3><p>Injecting drugs is major driver of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Nepal.</p></sec><sec id="j_1905-7415.1006.531_s_002_w2aab3b7b8b1b6b1aab1c17b2Aa"><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To estimate the HIV prevalence and to examine factors associated with it among people who inject (illicit) drugs (PWID) in Nepal.</p></sec><sec id="j_1905-7415.1006.531_s_003_w2aab3b7b8b1b6b1aab1c17b3Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>The present study was based on data secondary to Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (IBBS) surveys of PWID in Nepal from 2002 to 2015. A χ<sup>2</sup> test was used to determine significant risk factors for HIV infection. A logistic regression model was used to identify the most important determinants for HIV infection.</p></sec><sec id="j_1905-7415.1006.531_s_004_w2aab3b7b8b1b6b1aab1c17b4Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>We included cross-sectional data from 7,073 PWID in the surveys from 2002 to 2015 in this retrospective observational study; among these 1,257 (17.8%) had tested HIV positive. The prevalence of HIV infection showed a sharp decrease from 2002 (68%) to 2015 (6.2%). After adjusting each factor for the confounding effects of other factors, year, region, age, education, and duration of injecting drags were significantly associated with HIV (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). Prevalence of HIV infection was highest for the following factors: year 2002, Kathmandu Region (30.5%), aged ≥30 years (32%), illiterate (28.5%), and injecting drugs >10 years (35%).</p></sec><sec id="j_1905-7415.1006.531_s_005_w2aab3b7b8b1b6b1aab1c17b5Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>HIV infection shows a steady decreasing trend, but the number of cases remains high. The factors strongly contributing to HIV were advanced age, Kathmandu region, low educational achievement, and longer duration of injecting drags. Intensified and focused programs are needed to reduce the HIV in the region focusing on its associated risk behaviors.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundInjecting drugs is major driver of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Nepal.ObjectivesTo estimate the HIV prevalence and to examine factors associated with it among people who inject (illicit) drugs (PWID) in Nepal.MethodsThe present study was based on data secondary to Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (IBBS) surveys of PWID in Nepal from 2002 to 2015. A χ2 test was used to determine significant risk factors for HIV infection. A logistic regression model was used to identify the most important determinants for HIV infection.ResultsWe included cross-sectional data from 7,073 PWID in the surveys from 2002 to 2015 in this retrospective observational study; among these 1,257 (17.8%) had tested HIV positive. The prevalence of HIV infection showed a sharp decrease from 2002 (68%) to 2015 (6.2%). After adjusting each factor for the confounding effects of other factors, year, region, age, education, and duration of injecting drags were significantly associated with HIV (P < 0.001). Prevalence of HIV infection was highest for the following factors: year 2002, Kathmandu Region (30.5%), aged ≥30 years (32%), illiterate (28.5%), and injecting drugs >10 years (35%).ConclusionsHIV infection shows a steady decreasing trend, but the number of cases remains high. The factors strongly contributing to HIV were advanced age, Kathmandu region, low educational achievement, and longer duration of injecting drags. Intensified and focused programs are needed to reduce the HIV in the region focusing on its associated risk behaviors.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and related risk behavior in people who inject drugs in Nepal

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

BackgroundInjecting drugs is major driver of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Nepal.ObjectivesTo estimate the HIV prevalence and to examine factors associated with it among people who inject (illicit) drugs (PWID) in Nepal.MethodsThe present study was based on data secondary to Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (IBBS) surveys of PWID in Nepal from 2002 to 2015. A χ2 test was used to determine significant risk factors for HIV infection. A logistic regression model was used to identify the most important determinants for HIV infection.ResultsWe included cross-sectional data from 7,073 PWID in the surveys from 2002 to 2015 in this retrospective observational study; among these 1,257 (17.8%) had tested HIV positive. The prevalence of HIV infection showed a sharp decrease from 2002 (68%) to 2015 (6.2%). After adjusting each factor for the confounding effects of other factors, year, region, age, education, and duration of injecting drags were significantly associated with HIV (P 10 years (35%).ConclusionsHIV infection shows a steady decreasing trend, but the number of cases remains high. The factors strongly contributing to HIV were advanced age, Kathmandu region, low educational achievement, and longer duration of injecting drags. Intensified and focused programs are needed to reduce the HIV in the region focusing on its associated risk behaviors.

BackgroundInjecting drugs is major driver of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Nepal.ObjectivesTo estimate the HIV prevalence and to examine...

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and related risk behavior in people who inject drugs in Nepal

Article Category: Brief communication (Original)

Published Online: Mar 31, 2017

Page range: 609 - 617

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.1006.531

Keywords
Drug users, HIV, IBBS, Nepal

© 2016 Sampurna Kakchapati, Dipendra Raman Singh, Bir Bahadhur Rawal, Appiradee Lim

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and related risk behavior in people who inject drugs in Nepal

Article Category: Brief communication (Original)

Published Online: Mar 31, 2017

Page range: 609 - 617

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.1006.531

KeywordsDrug users, HIV, IBBS, Nepal

© 2016 Sampurna Kakchapati, Dipendra Raman Singh, Bir Bahadhur Rawal, Appiradee Lim

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Drug users, HIV, IBBS, Nepal