Hidden populations: risk behaviours in drug-using populations in the Republic of Georgia through subsequent peer-driven interventions

Lawlor, Cale; Gogia, Marine; Kirtadze, Irma; Stvilia, Keti; Jikia, Guranda; Zurashvili, Tamar

doi:10.1186/s12954-021-00527-y

Harm Reduction Journal

Table 2 Risk-related behaviours, HIV-related knowledge and history of HIV and HCV testing (NSP n = 987; PDI n = 1820)

From: Hidden populations: risk behaviours in drug-using populations in the Republic of Georgia through subsequent peer-driven interventions

	NSP	PDI	p value
Drug-use behaviours, including drugs injected
Age of first injection^a (mean)	20.0	19.5	0.00
Injections per day^a,b (mean)	1.4	2.1	0.23
Injection days^a,b (mean)	17.7	13.8	0.00
Injection group size^a,b (mean)	3.9	3.5	0.02
Drugs used in the past 30 days^d
Heroin/sirets	58.3	54.9	0.00
Fentanyl	1.2	2.0	0.00
Street methadone	9.9	13.2	0.00
Methadone diverted from opioid substitute therapy	5.5	7.1	0.00
Street buprenorphine	30.0	36.5	0.00
Buprenorphine diverted from opioid substitute therapy	34.2	20.0	0.00
Vint (homemade amphetamines)	15.5	12.7	0.00
Ephedrine	32.3	23.5	0.00
Amphetamines	5.5	2.3	0.00
Antihistamines in mixture	7.7	2.7	0.00
Overdose in the last 30 days	3.6	6.4	0.00
Drug- and sex-related risky behaviours (behaviours over the past 6 months)
Shared equipment	33.4	52.0	0.00
Shared syringe	15.3	33.6	0.00
Used a syringe after someone	4.6	26.3	0.00
Someone used syringe after	6.4	25.4	0.00
Shared syringe with someone HIV positive	0.5	2.9	0.00
Always used new syringe	77.1	68.1	-
Shared instruments	35.2	53.2	0.00
Exchange sex for drugs	1.9	1.6	0.65
Exchange drugs for sex	3.1	1.8	0.05
Exchanged sex for money	0.7	0.9	0.82
Exchanged money for sex	6.4	6.9	0.63
Sex with someone HIV positive	0.0	0.6	0.05
Past number of blood tests for HIV?^a	3.1	0.6	0.00
Never tested for HIV	0.6	67.0	0.00
HIV knowledge (correct answers)
HIV risk is reduced if you have only one partner	98.9	98.8	0.61
HIV risk is reduced if a condom is always used	99.5	98.7	0.13
A person with HIV can look healthy	91.2	86.8	0.00
HIV can be caught by sharing food or water with an infected person	98.2	98.1	0.94
HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bite	93.1	91.0	0.00
HIV and HCV testing
Ever tested for HCV	99.5	34.2	0.00
HIV positive on point-of-care testing at interview	0.8	0.4	0.14

Statistical significance was classified as a P value < 0.05 and are in bold
Chi-square test was applied for categorical data, and independent t test for continuous data. Only percentages given due to overlap between groups
NB: drug types were not included if both groups had less than 5% use
^aUnless otherwise specified
^bIn the last 30 days
^cAs a percentage proportion by recruitment group (NSP vs PDI)
^dUse of multiple substances gives cumulative prevalence of greater than 100%

Back to article page

ISSN: 1477-7517

Contact us

Submission enquiries: journalsubmissions@springernature.com