Prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on access to HIV prevention services among injecting drug users in Khanh Hoa province, 2021

Abstract

A cross - sectional study was conducted among 200 injecting drug users (IDUs) in Khanh Hoa province to determine the prevalence of HIV, and syphilis and investigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on access to HIV prevention services in 2021. The results showed that HIV prevalence and syphilis prevalence
among IDUs was 9.5% and 4%, respectively. There was a strong association between age at first injecting drugs (p < 0.05), sharing needles (p < 0.05), use of clean needle and syringe for the last injecting drugs (p < 0.05) and syphilis (p < 0.05) with risk of HIV infection. The study found that the rate of access to HIV prevention intervention programs was quite limited in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in the province. The proportion of IDUs who did not repeat the test in the past 12 months due to the COVID-19 epidemic accounted for 54.6%; 31.9 had difficulty accessing to receive clean condoms, 20.3% had difficulty accessing condoms and HIV testing counselling; 13.7% had difficulty in Methadone treatment; 10.8% had difficulty getting counselling on using condoms and safe sex. The results of study makes an important challenge in the expansion and comprehensive implementation of HIV prevention intervention programs among IDUs to limit HIV transmission in the community and to predict emerging diseases that may affect the HIV prevention and control program.