Skip to main content

Table 2 HIV and HCV risk behaviors and univariate analysis of potential correlates of HCV seropositivity among injection drug users (IDUs) in Pakistan, stratified by site.

From: High HCV seroprevalence and HIV drug use risk behaviors among injection drug users in Pakistan

 

Lahore

Quetta

Characteristic

Total n = 255

HCV+ (%)

OR (95% CI)

Total n = 96

HCV+ (%)

OR (95% CI)

Being very poor (<3000 rupees/month)

      

   No

191

177 (93)

 

87

68 (78)

 

   Yes

64

60 (94)

1.2 (0.4–3.7)

9

4 (44)

0.2 (0.1–0.9)a

Ever worked outside of Pakistan

      

   No

243

227 (93)

 

77

63 (82)

 

   Yes

12

10 (83)

0.4 (0.1–1.7)

19

9 (47)

0.2 (0.1–0.6)a

Currently homelessness

      

   No

111

98 (88)

 

54

38 (70)

 

   Yes

144

139 (97)

3.7 (1.3–10.7)a

42

34 (81)

1.8 (0.7–4.7)

Drug Use Behaviors

      

Duration of injection drug use

      

   ≤2 year

34

27 (79)

 

40

29 (73)

 

   2+ years

221

210 (95)

4.9 (1.8–13.8)a

56

43 (77)

1.3 (0.5–3.2)

Currently injecting (w/in last 6 months)

      

   No

7

6 (86)

 

31

19 (61)

 

   Yes

248

231 (93)

2.6 (0.3–19.9)

65

53 (82)

2.8 (1.1–7.3)a

Injected daily

      

   No

32

27 (84)

 

52

35 (67)

 

   Yes

223

210 (94)

3.0 (1.0–9.0)a

44

37 (84)

2.6 (1.0–6.9)a

Ever "jerked"*

      

   No

23

18 (78)

 

8

3 (38)

 

   Yes

232

219 (94)

4.7 (1.5–14.6)a

88

69 (78)

6.1 (1.3–27.6)a

Ever borrowed a needle or syringe

      

   No

82

75 (91)

 

35

22 (63)

 

   Yes

173

162 (94)

1.4 (0.5–3.7)

61

50 (82)

2.7 (1.0–6.9)a

Ever shared injection tools/ampoule

      

   No

69

61 (88)

 

36

22 (61)

 

   Yes

186

176 (95)

2.3 (0.9–6.1)a

60

50 (83)

3.2 (1.2–8.3)a

Always using a new syringe

      

   No

224

210 (94)

 

67

52 (78)

 

   Yes

31

27 (87)

0.5 (0.1–1.5)

29

20 (69)

0.6 (0.2–1.7)

Medical and Percutaneous Exposures

      

Ever had any surgery

      

   No

146

137 (94)

 

63

47 (75)

 

   Yes

108

99 (92)

0.7 (0.3–1.9)

32

25 (78)

1.2 (0.4–3.3)

Ever received blood transfusion

      

   No

236

219 (93)

 

90

66 (73)

 

   Yes

19

18 (95)

1.4 (0.2–11.1)

6

6 (100)

--

Ever received medical injection**

      

   No

46

43 (93)

 

35

27 (77)

 

   Yes

209

194 (93)

0.9 (0.3–3.3)

61

45 (74)

0.8 (0.3–2.2)

Ever had any dental work

      

   No

145

134 (92)

 

59

45 (76)

 

   Yes

110

103 (94)

1.2 (0.5–3.2)

37

27 (73)

0.8 (0.3–2.2)

Ever received shave from barber

      

   No

3

2 (67)

 

8

4 (50)

 

   Yes

252

235 (93)

6.9 (0.6–80.1)

88

68 (77)

3.4 (0.8–14.8)a

Ever shared razor blade

      

   No

164

151 (92)

 

51

39 (76)

 

   Yes

90

85 (94)

1.5 (0.5–4.2)

44

33 (75)

0.9 (0.4–2.4)

Ever got a body piercing

      

   No

167

153 (92)

 

81

59 (73)

 

   Yes

88

84 (95)

1.9 (0.6–6.0)

15

13 (87)

2.4 (0.5–11.6)

Ever got a tattoo on body

      

   No

151

138 (91)

 

41

32 (78)

 

   Yes

104

99 (95)

1.9 (0.6–5.4)

55

40 (73)

0.8 (0.3–1.9)

Sexual History †

      

Ever had sexually transmitted infection

      

   No

79

75 (95)

 

39

26 (67)

 

   Yes

153

141 (92)

0.6 (0.2–2.0)

46

37 (80)

2.1 (0.8–5.5)

Ever paid for sex

      

   No

76

71 (93)

 

25

20 (80)

 

   Yes

164

153 (93)

1.0 (0.3–2.9)

60

43 (72)

0.6 (0.2–2.0)

Ever had sex with a man or boy‡

      

   No

119

109 (92)

 

52

39 (75)

 

   Yes

121

115 (95)

1.8 (0.6–5.0)

31

23 (74)

1.0 (0.3–2.7)

Ever use a condom during sex

      

   No

150

141 (94)

 

73

57 (78)

 

   Yes

90

83 (92)

0.8 (0.3–2.1)

12

6 (50)

0.3 (0.1–1.0)

  1. * Jerking refers to the practice of drawing blood into the syringe while injecting drugs.
  2. ** Includes professional and non-professional medical injections
  3. † Includes only those who have ever had sex (Lahore: n = 240; Quetta: n = 85); totals based on available data.
  4. ‡Two female participants were excluded from these analyses.
  5. a p ≤ 0.10
Back to article page

Harm Reduction Journal

ISSN: 1477-7517