Correlations between compulsory drug abstinence treatments and HIV risk behaviors among injection drug users in a border city of South China.

Compulsory drug abstinence treatments (CAT) provided by the public security system have been one of the predominant methods of addressing drug abuse and HIV risks in China. This study assessed the association between CAT and HIV risk behaviors by surveying a community sample of 613 injection drug users (IDUs) at a city located in South China. The data indicated that the great majority of the participants (89.6%) had received the institutionalized treatments an average of 4.5 times. The study found that the number of compulsory drug abstinence treatments increased IDUs' HIV/AIDS knowledge. However, other HIV-related outcomes were not encouraging. The study found that the number of compulsory drug abstinence treatments was not related to an increase in condom use. Furthermore, the frequency of compulsory drug abstinence treatments was not related to needle/syringe sharing, but was positively associated with cooker/cotton/rinse water sharing and drug solution sharing. The number of compulsory drug abstinence treatments was positively associated with HIV status. In general, this study found little support that CAT has accomplished its goal in reducing HIV risks among injection drug users in the sample. Policy implications for reforming CAT are suggested.

HIV voluntary counseling and testing among injection drug users in south China: a study of a non-government organization based program.

HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) programs are usually delivered by government health agencies in China. This study examined the feasibility of using a Chinese non-government organization (NGO) to deliver a VCT program to injection drug users (IDUs) in a southern Chinese city. The process data indicated the program successfully recruited and served 226 male and female IDUs in 4 months. The HIV prevalence rate of the study population was 57.5% by rapid HIV testing with a secondary rapid test to confirm. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations indicated that the VCT program was implemented appropriately and participants' HIV knowledge and safe drug and sex practices were significantly improved after participation in the VCT program. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a Chinese NGO to provide VCT for IDUs and documents the processes and outcomes of the program. There remains a great need to find additional sources to provide VCT and other HIV prevention services to IDUs and other high-risk populations in China. Chinese NGOs have the potential to fill this need.