1. Sexual behaviour and infection rates for HIV, blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among patients attending drug treatment centres in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Author
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Bastos FI, Lowndes CM, Castello-Branco LR, Linhares-de-Carvalho MI, Oelemann W, Bernier F, Morgado MG, Yoshida CF, Rozental T, and Alary M
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Brazil epidemiology, Female, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Prevalence, Sexually Transmitted Diseases blood, Sexually Transmitted Diseases urine, HIV Infections epidemiology, Risk-Taking, Sexual Behavior, Sexually Transmitted Diseases epidemiology, Substance Abuse Treatment Centers statistics & numerical data
- 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.
- Published
- 2000
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