HIV Prevalence Among Injection Drug Users in Georgia
Author Information
Author(s): Ivity Chikovani, Ketevan Goguadze, Sudit Ranade, Mollie Wertlieb, Natia Rukhadze, George Gotsadze
Primary Institution: Curatio International Foundation
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of HIV among injection drug users in Georgia?
Conclusion
The study found that HIV prevalence among injection drug users in Georgia is low but increasing, with significant risk factors identified.
Supporting Evidence
- Injection drug use is a major risk factor for HIV transmission in Georgia.
- More than 70% of new HIV infections in 2009 were attributed to injection drug use.
- 22 out of 1108 participants tested positive for HIV, indicating a prevalence of 1.99%.
Takeaway
This study looked at people who use drugs by injection in Georgia to see how many have HIV. They found that older users and those who have been using drugs longer are more likely to have HIV.
Methodology
A cross-sectional, anonymous bio-behavioural survey combined with laboratory testing was conducted in five cities in Georgia.
Potential Biases
Reporting and recall bias may exist due to the nature of self-reported data.
Limitations
The sample may not be generalizable, and women and younger IDUs were underrepresented.
Participant Demographics
The median age of participants was 35 years, predominantly male (98.7%) and ethnically Georgian (95.3%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.013 for age, p = 0.001 for duration of drug use, p = 0.014 for history of imprisonment.
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.3-4.3 for Telavi and Zugdidi, 95% CI 1.4-84.5 for age group 31-40.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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