[Analysis of utilization situation of harm reduction services among drug users and its impact factors].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the utilization situation of harm reduction services among drug users and to analyze the reasons of the drug users' absence in the services as well as their evaluation of the services quality based on the gender perspective, and then to provide advice on the improvement of harm reduction services in the future. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were carried out in four cities of Yunnan Province. The information was collected from the drug users in the drug rehabilitation centers and communities through outreach workers. The utilization of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and needle exchange service, the reason of the drug users' absence in the services and the evaluation towards the convenience, acceptability, as well as services quality were all surveyed. RESULTS: The valid samples were 579 with sex ratio 50.8% (male) and 49.2% (female). Most of the respondents (56.3%) had an educational level of junior high school and 44.0% were single. There were 61.8% (358/579) of respondents who used to utilize MMT service with female participation rate being 57.5%, which was lower than the male one (P<0.05). And there were 58.2% (223/383) of the respondents who used to exchange needles from the outreach workers or needle exchange points with female participation rate being 52.9%, which was lower than the male one (P<0.05). The leading cause of the drug users' absence in the services was their lack of understanding about the services. Among the people who used to utilize the services, the evaluations of women were better than those of men. CONCLUSION: Drug users have a low awareness of harm reduction services and female drug users are lack of the utilization towards services. More publicity and concern on harm reduction services in the future as well as exploration of the services which better fit the traits of women and privacy protection are suggested.