ArticleBMC public health2011
Spatial distribution and characteristics of injecting drug users (IDU) in five Northeastern states of India.
Article in BMC public health, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Injection Drug Network Characteristics Are Important Markers of HIV Risk Behavior and Lack of Viral Suppression.Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) · 2017Trial
- A look beyond the needle: high prevalence of injecting risk behaviours among people who inject drugs in Zanzibar.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Finding a way forward with the community: qualitative inquiry in the generalized HIV epidemic in Mizoram, India.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- HIV epidemic in Mizoram, India: A rapid review to inform future responses.The Indian journal of medical research · 2022Review
- Changing Pattern of Opioid Users Attending an Opioid Agonist Treatment Clinic in North India.Journal of neurosciences in rural practice · 2022Article
- Injecting drug use & HIV prevalence among female sex workers: Evidence from the National Integrated Biological & Behavioural Surveillance, India.The Indian journal of medical research · 2022Article
- Understanding of HIV/AIDS in the international border area, Manipur: Northeast India.Epidemiology and infection · 2019Article
- Factors associated with HIV testing among male injecting drug users: findings from a cross-sectional behavioural and biological survey in Manipur and Nagaland, India.Harm reduction journal · 2016Article
- Taking care of themselves: how long-term injection drug users remain HIV and Hepatitis C free.Sociology of health & illness · 2015Article
- The association between neighborhood residential rehabilitation and injection drug use in Baltimore, Maryland, 2000-2011.Health & place · 2014Article
- Consensus Statement of HCV Task Force of the Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL). Part I: Status Report of HCV Infection in India.Journal of clinical and experimental hepatology · 2014Review
- HIV risk behaviors of male injecting drug users and associated non-condom use with regular female sexual partners in north-east India.Harm reduction journal · 2014Article
- Acceptability of Global Positioning System technology to survey injecting drug users' movements and social interactions: a pilot study from San Francisco, USA.Technology and health care : official journal of the European Society for Engineering and Medicine · 2014Article
- The oral health of heroin drug users: case study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.BMC public health · 2013Article
- Size estimation of injecting drug users (IDU) using multiplier method in five districts of India.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2012Article
- HIV epidemic appraisals for assisting in the design of effective prevention programmes: shifting the paradigm back to basics.PloS one · 2012Article
- Injection drug use among children and adolescents in India: Ringing the alarm bells.Indian journal of psychiatryArticle
- Prevalence and knowledge of HIV/AIDS among the tribal women of Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya (North East India).Indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDSArticle
- A Clinical Study of Opioid Substitution Therapy in a Tertiary Care Center of Eastern India.Indian journal of psychological medicineArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInjecting drugs is the major driving force of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in Northeastern India. We have assessed the spatial distribution of locations where injecting drug users (IDU) congregate, as well as the risk behaviour and key characteristics of IDUs to develop new strategies strengthening intervention measures for HIV prevention in this region.
methodsLocations of IDUs congregation for buying and injecting drugs were identified through Key Informants (KI). Verification of the location and its characteristics were confirmed through field visits. We also conducted semi-structured and structured interviews with IDUs to learn more about their injecting behaviour and other characteristics.
resultsAltogether, 2462 IDU locations were identified in 5 states. The number of IDU locations was found to be greater in the states bordering Myanmar. Private houses, parks, abandoned buildings, pharmacies, graveyards, and isolated places were the most frequently chosen place for injecting drugs. Many injecting locations were visited by IDUs of varying ages, of which about 10-20% of locations were for females. In some locations, female IDUs were also involved in sex work. Sharing of needle and syringes was reported in all the states by large proportion of IDUs, mainly with close friends. However, even sharing with strangers was not uncommon. Needle and syringes were mainly procured from pharmacies, drug peddlers and friends. Lack of access to free sterile needles and syringes, and inconsistent supplies from intervention programs, were often given as the cause of sharing or re-use of needles and syringes by IDUs. Most of the IDUs described a negative attitude of the community towards them.
conclusionWe highlight the injection of drugs as a problem in 5 Northeastern India states where this is the major driving force of an HIV epidemic. Also highlighted are the large numbers of females that are unrecognized as IDUs and the association between drug use and sex work. Understanding of risk behaviours and other key characteristics of IDUs in the region will help in strengthening harm reduction efforts that can prevent HIV transmission.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.