The relationship between drug use stigma and HIV injection risk behaviors among injection drug users in Chennai, India

Carl Latkin, Aylur K. Srikrishnan, Cui Yang, Sethulakshmi Johnson, Sunil S. Solomon, Suresh Kumar, David D. Celentano, Suniti Solomon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived drug use stigma, acquiescence response bias, and HIV injection risk behaviors among current injection drug users in Chennai, India. Methods: The sample consists of 851 males in Chennai, India who reported having injected drugs in the last month and were recruited through street outreach. Results: Results indicate a strong and consistent positive association between drug use stigma and HIV injection drug use risk behaviors. This association held across the injection behaviors of frequency of sharing needles, cookers, cotton filters, rinse water, pre-filled syringes and common drug solutions, even after controlling for acquiescence response bias, frequency of injection, and HIV/HCV serostatus. Conclusions: These findings suggest that future HIV prevention and harm reduction programs for injection drug users and service providers should address drug use stigma.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)221-227
Number of pages7
JournalDrug and alcohol dependence
Volume110
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2010

Keywords

  • Acquiescence response bias
  • HCV
  • HIV
  • India
  • Injection drug use
  • Risk behavior
  • Stigma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pharmacology (medical)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The relationship between drug use stigma and HIV injection risk behaviors among injection drug users in Chennai, India'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this