Table 1 Socio-demographic, injection use and STI/HIV/AIDS behaviors and knowledge of IDUs in Karachi, Pakistan.
Characteristic | Results N = 161 (%) |
|---|---|
Average age | 35.9 years (18–63) |
Province of birth | |
Sindh | 98 (60.9) |
Punjab | 40 (24.8) |
NWFP | 14 (8.7) |
Balochistan | 7 (4.3) |
Outside Pakistan (Afghanistan) | 2 (1.2) |
Religion | |
Muslim | 151 (95) |
Christian | 7 (4.4) |
Hindu | 3 (1.8) |
Education | |
No formal education | 111 (68.9) |
Education received | 47 (29.1) for 7.9 years |
Pursuing studies | 2 (1.2) |
Married | |
Yes | 119 (73.3)1 |
No | 42 (26.1) |
Spending the night (last month) | |
At home | 30 (18.6) |
On streets | 131 (81.3)2 |
Average monthly income | Rs. 3512 (US$ 61.6) |
Daily spending on addiction | Rs. 102 (US$ 1.7) |
Common types of drugs used in injection (last month) | |
Heroin (White stuff) | 157 (97.5) |
Diazepam or Lorazepam | 70 (43.7) |
Meclizine or Promethazine | 28 (17.3) |
Pheniramine | 61 (37.8) |
Addict in near relatives (parents, siblings) | |
Yes | 30 (18.6) |
No | 131 (81.3) |
Average age of initiation of drugs | |
Age of initiation of drugs | 15.9 years |
Average time initiation of injection | 4.4 years |
Injection drug use (last month) | |
Average number of drug injections per day | 2.3 {range 1–9 injections) |
Previous day's injection with a new syringe | 153 (95) |
Shooting drugs in group sharing syringes | 128 (79.5) |
Using anyone else's used syringe one to two times in last 30 days | 13 (8) |
Paid for sex (last month) | |
Female | 76 (47.2) |
Male/Transvestite | 3 (1.8) |
Boy | 15 (9.3) |
Condom use (last month) | |
Never used | 104 (64.5) |
Sometimes | 15 (9.3) |
Sexually transmitted disease symptoms (ever) | |
Urethral discharge | 14 (8.6) |
Genital ulcers | 7 (4.3) |
HIV/AIDS knowledge | |
Heard about HIV/AIDS | 149 (92.5) |
Transmitted through sharing syringes | 116 (72) |
Transmitted through unsafe sex | 116 (72) |
Transmitted through unscreened blood transfusion | 17 (10.5) |
Commercial sale of blood (ever) | |
Commercially sold blood | 44 (28%) |
Average time elapsed between interview and last donation | 9.2 months |