Unsafe injecting practices, sexual risk behaviours and determinants of HIV among men who inject drugs: Results from Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance in India

In India, while an overall reduction in HIV is achieved among most key populations, the continued higher prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) is an area of concern. This paper analyses unsafe injecting and sexual risk behaviours in male PWIDs according to HIV status and also examines the determinants of HIV infection in this high-risk group. Data from India’s Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance, conducted across 29 Indian states and Union Territories among 19,902 male PWIDs, were used. Informed consent was obtained and men aged 15 years or more, who used psychotropic substances or drugs in the past three months for non-medical reasons were recruited for the survey. Results from the multivariable analysis suggest that drug use debut at age 25 years or above (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.41, confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.88), engagement in drug use for a longer duration (AOR: 1.81, CI: 1.32–2.48), injecting three times or more per day (AOR: 1.53, CI: 1.1–2.12), sharing of needle/syringes (AOR: 1.34, CI: 1.02–1.76), self-reported sexually transmitted infections (AOR: 1.55, CI: 1.12–2.14) and higher self-risk perception for exposure to HIV (AOR: 2.08, CI: 1.58–2.75) increase the likelihood of HIV infection. Sustained higher prevalence, unsafe injecting and risky sexual practices are major challenges which may prevent India from reaching the ‘end of AIDS’ by 2030. This underscores the need for adoption of a tailored, evidence-driven HIV prevention approach that adequately addresses local needs to limit the spread of HIV within this population, and thereby prevents the onward transmission of HIV to the general population.