Changes in HIV related risk behavior among injecting drug users in three States of India

Santosh Sharma, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The study aims to understand the changes in HIV related risk behavior among IDUs between two points of time. Analyses are based on 2075 and 1977 respondents aged above 18 years who participated in round I and II of the Integrated Behavioral and Biological Assessment. The Gap between transitions from drug to injecting drug use is very narrow as a substantial proportion of drug users initiate injecting drug use within a year. In all the states, the transition plays a key role and those initiated injecting drug use within one year of taking drugs are more likely to have HIV sero-positivity than the others. And those who’s multiple sexual partners as IDUs are more likely to have HIV sero-positivity. Interventions should be designed to identify, reach and work with the potential IDUs through network based approach to ably suspend the transition those initiated injecting within first years of drug use.