Marked ethnic differences in HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among injection drug users in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 2004.

OBJECTIVE

To examine differences by ethnicity of HIV prevalence and correlates among injection drug users (IDUs) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

METHODS

The researchers enrolled 489 active adult IDUs in a cross-sectional risk factor study of HIV infection. Participants were provided HIV pre-and posttest counseling and risk reduction counseling and answered an interviewer-administered questionnaire. HIV-1 status was determined with rapid tests and confirmed with ELISA.

RESULTS

Participants included four ethnicities: 204 Tajiks (49.1%), 145 Russians (29.7%), 58 Uzbeks (11.9%), and 46 participants of other nationalities (9.4%). Overall prevalence of HIV-1 infection was 12% and varied significantly by ethnicity: it was highest among ethnic Tajiks, at 19.2%; lowest among Russians and Uzbeks, at 3.4%; and 13% among other nationalities. Ethnic groups differed significantly in years injecting, receiving a needle from a needle exchange program (NEP), injecting in groups, having undergone drug treatment, reported condom use, and arrest history. Among Tajiks, HIV infection was significantly associated with daily injecting (OR 2.16); reporting that narcotics were very easy to obtain (OR 2.46); having undergone drug treatment (OR 2.75), and injecting "alone" (OR 3.12).

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnic differences were strongly associated with HIV prevalence and risk behaviors in this multiethnic study, and prevention efforts might need to be targeted by ethnicity.