Sexual behaviour and infection rates for HIV, blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among patients attending drug treatment centres in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Francisco Inácio Bastos*, C. M. Lowndes, M. Derrico, L. R. Castello-Branco, M. I. Linhares-De-Carvalho, W. Oelemann, F. Bernier, M. G. Morgado, C. F. Yoshida, T. Rozental, M. Alary

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    30 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A survey was carried out in 2 drug use treatment centres (TCs) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to assess risk behaviours, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections/blood-borne infections (STIs/BBIs). Two hundred and twenty-five drug users (195 males and 30 females) were interviewed and clinically examined, and their blood and urine were tested for STIs/BBIs. Prevalences (%) for these infections were as follows - HIV: 0.9, hepatitis B virus (HBV): 14.7, hepatitis C virus (HCV): 5.8, syphilis: 5.3, gonorrhoea/chlamydia (CT/NG): 4.7. In bivariate analyses CT/NG infection was associated with younger age (P = 0.003); current genitourinary symptoms (odds ratio [OR]= 6.2) and a mainly illegal source of income (OR = 9.1). Hepatitis C infection was associated with a history of ever having injected any drug (OR = 19.6), and with each one of the injected drugs. After multiple logistic regression, lower educational level (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.70) and 'ever having injected drugs' (AOR = 3.69) remained as independent risk factors for hepatitis B infection. In conclusion, TCs must implement programmes directed towards the prevention of STIs/BBIs.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)383-392
    Number of pages10
    JournalInternational Journal of STD and AIDS
    Volume11
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2000

    Keywords

    • Drug treatment centres
    • Drug users
    • HIV infection
    • Sexually transmitted infections
    • Viral hepatitis

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Sexual behaviour and infection rates for HIV, blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among patients attending drug treatment centres in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this