Awareness and willingness to use HIV self-testing among people who inject drugs in Iran

Harm Reduction Journal

Research

Mohammad Karamouzian¹  Ali Mirzazadeh²  Emily Goldmann³  Don Des Jarlais³  Mehrdad Khezri⁴  Mostafa Shokoohi⁵  Fatemeh Tavakoli⁶  Nima Ghalekhani⁶  Hamid Sharifi⁶  Soheil Mehmandoost⁶  Ali Akbar Haghdoost⁶ 

[1] Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada;Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA;HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA;Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA;Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA;HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada;HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;

关键词: HIV;    HIV self-testing;    People who inject drugs;    Harm reduction;    Iran;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12954-023-00881-z

 received in 2023-08-29, accepted in 2023-10-03,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMost people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran have not undergone recent HIV testing. While PWID face barriers when seeking HIV testing at health facilities, HIV self-testing (HIVST) could be a promising approach to improve HIV testing uptake. We examined the awareness and willingness to use HIVST among PWID in Iran. We also identified participants’ characteristics associated with a higher willingness to use HIVST.MethodsPWID were recruited in 11 cities using a respondent-driven sampling method. Willingness to use HIVST was defined as a binary variable (very low/low willingness vs. high/very high willingness). We performed multivariable modified Poisson regression to examine associated factors and report adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 2,252 PWID, 362 (16.2%; 95% CI 14.7, 17.8) had ever heard of HIVST; however, 1,658 (73.6%; 95% CI 71.7, 75.4) reported high/very high willingness to use HIVST. Willingness to use HIVST was higher among PWID who reported having a high/moderate HIV risk perception (aPR 1.22; 95% CI 1.09, 1.37), ever experiencing homelessness (aPR 1.15; 95% CI 1.03, 1.28), > 10 years of injecting history (aPR 1.16; 95% CI 1.00, 1.34), and high injection frequency in the last three months (aPR 1.18; 95% CI 1.05, 1.32).ConclusionMost PWID in Iran, particularly those experiencing homelessness, have a longer injecting history, engage in more frequent injection practices, and possess a heightened perception of HIV risk would be willing to adopt HIVST. Enhancing HIVST awareness through increased access to HIVST and health education programs are needed. Additionally, conducting implementation science studies to effectively design and run HIVST programs in Iran can also increase PWID’s access to HIV testing.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 9