OBJECTIVES: To provide evidence for policy makers for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and control, we investigated HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the availability of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) among migrant drug users in Beijing. METHODS: A total of 222 participants from 3 main communities where drug abusers reside were interviewed, completed a questionnaire, and were screened for HIV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, confirmed by Western blot. Descriptive statistics, χ tests, and binary logistic regression models were used to analyze differences in HIV and sexually transmitted diseases among different subpopulations. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV and syphilis in the migrant population was much higher than in permanent residents (43.0% vs 2.1% and 13.3% vs 4.3%, respectively). The HIV-infected cases in the migrant population were 33-fold higher than in permanent residents. Compared with permanent residents, the availability of MMT was much lower in the migrant population (21.9% vs 70.2%), and they were less knowledgeable about MMT (37.0% vs 84.0%). Even for those who were knowledgeable about MMT, methadone treatment was still lower (46.8% vs 82.3%). Compared with the MMT group, higher infection rates of HIV and HCV were found in the no-MMT group (36.7% vs 10.6% and 64.8% vs 50.0%, respectively). Education and employment status contributed to the different distributions between permanent residents and the migrant population and the MMT and no-MMT groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and HCV infection was higher, and the use of MMT was lower in the migrant population. The migrant population is a noticeable challenge for HIV prevention and control in Beijing.
OBJECTIVES: To provide evidence for policy makers for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and control, we investigated HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the availability of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) among migrant drug users in Beijing. METHODS: A total of 222 participants from 3 main communities where drug abusers reside were interviewed, completed a questionnaire, and were screened for HIV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, confirmed by Western blot. Descriptive statistics, χ tests, and binary logistic regression models were used to analyze differences in HIV and sexually transmitted diseases among different subpopulations. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV and syphilis in the migrant population was much higher than in permanent residents (43.0% vs 2.1% and 13.3% vs 4.3%, respectively). The HIV-infected cases in the migrant population were 33-fold higher than in permanent residents. Compared with permanent residents, the availability of MMT was much lower in the migrant population (21.9% vs 70.2%), and they were less knowledgeable about MMT (37.0% vs 84.0%). Even for those who were knowledgeable about MMT, methadone treatment was still lower (46.8% vs 82.3%). Compared with the MMT group, higher infection rates of HIV and HCV were found in the no-MMT group (36.7% vs 10.6% and 64.8% vs 50.0%, respectively). Education and employment status contributed to the different distributions between permanent residents and the migrant population and the MMT and no-MMT groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and HCV infection was higher, and the use of MMT was lower in the migrant population. The migrant population is a noticeable challenge for HIV prevention and control in Beijing.
Authors: Don C Des Jarlais; Kamyar Arasteh; Courtney McKnight; Jonathan Feelemyer; Aimee N C Campbell; Susan Tross; Hannah L F Cooper; Holly Hagan; David C Perlman Journal: Addiction Date: 2016-11-14 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: Don C Des Jarlais; Kamyar Arasteh; Courtney McKnight; David C Perlman; Jonathan Feelemyer; Holly Hagan; Hannah L F Cooper Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-01-31 Impact factor: 3.240