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Prevalence and patterns of illicit drug use in people with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Korea
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, Vol 16, Iss 4, p e0249361 (2021), PLoS ONE
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background Data on illicit drug use by Korean people infected with HIV are lacking. Here, we examined the prevalence and patterns of illicit drug use among people infected with HIV in Korea. Material and methods In this cross-sectional study, we included all patients infected with HIV who visited a tertiary care hospital in Korea from January 1990 to May 2020. Sociodemographic data of patients, including drug use, were collected at the first visit and during follow-up. Results Among 1,267 patients, 5.13% reported the use of an illicit drug in their lifetime, and 2.61% were users of injection drugs. The most commonly used drugs were cannabis/marijuana and methamphetamine, followed by nitrite inhalants, cocaine, dextromethorphan, carisoprodol, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. The illicit drug users tended to be younger than non-users, homosexuals/bisexuals, and infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); they had a higher CD4+ cell count than non-users. Among 65 users of illicit drugs, only 24.6% revealed their drug use at the first visit interview, and 24.6% reported using two or more drugs in their lifetime. Individuals who used injection drugs were more likely to be arrested for drug-related charges than the users of non-injection drugs. Moreover, they tended to be heavy users of illicit drugs, to report using two or more drugs in their lifetime, and to be HCV seropositive. In contrast, the users of non-injection drugs were more likely to be experimental users and to start using drugs overseas for the first time, but less likely to report their drug use at the first interview. Conclusions The prevalence of illicit drug use in people with HIV infection in Korea may have been underestimated. Further research based on more accurate measurements are warranted.
- Subjects :
- Male
RNA viruses
Epidemiology
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Social Sciences
HIV Infections
Hepacivirus
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
medicine.disease_cause
Tertiary Care Centers
Drug Users
Geographical Locations
0302 clinical medicine
Cocaine
Immunodeficiency Viruses
Prevalence
Psychology
030212 general & internal medicine
Carisoprodol
media_common
Multidisciplinary
biology
Hepatitis C virus
Middle Aged
Methamphetamine
Hepatitis C
Addicts
Chemistry
Serology
Medical Microbiology
HIV epidemiology
Viral Pathogens
Viruses
Physical Sciences
Infectious diseases
Medicine
Female
030211 gastroenterology & hepatology
Pathogens
Research Article
medicine.drug
Adult
Medical conditions
Drug
Asia
Substance-Related Disorders
Science
media_common.quotation_subject
Addiction
Marijuana Smoking
Viral diseases
Microbiology
03 medical and health sciences
Environmental health
Republic of Korea
Retroviruses
medicine
Humans
Illicit drug
Microbial Pathogens
Nitrites
Medicine and health sciences
Hepatitis B virus
Korea
Flaviviruses
business.industry
Lentivirus
Organisms
Chemical Compounds
Biology and Life Sciences
HIV
biology.organism_classification
Hepatitis viruses
CD4 Lymphocyte Count
Cross-Sectional Studies
People and Places
Cannabis
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 16
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5bd99d03254093566cfa6d44edbe8984