Temporal trend of HIV prevalence and its associated factors among male peoples who inject drugs in Dong Nai province in the 2017 - 2021 period

Abstract

A cross - sectional study was conducted to describe trends and several associated factors of HIV infection among male people who inject drugs (PWIDs) through HIV sentinel surveillance plus behaviors during 2017 - 2021 in Dong Nai province. Participants were men aged 16 years and older, who were living or working in Dong Nai province and had injected drugs within 1 month before the survey. The results showed that the average age was 31.8 years old, 46% were unmarried and 47.4% had a junior high school degree. The average age of beginning to inject drugs was 23.9 years old, and the average number of years of drug injection was 7.6 years, of which PWIDs over 5 years accounted for 59.7%. In addition. The HIV prevalence tends to decrease over years from 12.7% (2017) to 8% (2019) and 5.5%  (2021) (p < 0.001). Logistic regression models showed that male PWIDs who have shared needles within the past 6 months were more likely to have HIV infection than those who did not share needles (aOR: 2.42; 95%CI: 1.21 - 4.82; p = 0.012). Male people who inject drugs over 5 years had a higher likelihood of having HIV infection (aOR: 3.84; 95%CI: 1.92 - 7.69; p < 0.001). Harm reduction interventions should continue with high - risk groups to reduce HIV transmission among male PWIDs
and the community.