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Sexual behavior of drug-users: is it different?
Arun Kumar Sharma1, O P Aggarwal, K K Dubey
1Department of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, Sahadara, Delhi 110 095, India. tingu98@hotmail.com
Preventive Medicine
|April 24, 2002
Summary
Drug users in Indian cities engage in higher-risk sexual behaviors, including multiple partners and anal intercourse. Targeted prevention programs are crucial to reduce sexually transmitted disease and HIV transmission risks.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Social Science
Background:
- Drug users globally face elevated risks for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV.
- Limited understanding of drug user risk behaviors in Indian metropolitan areas, where drug use patterns vary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if drug users exhibit higher rates of high-risk sexual behavior compared to non-drug users.
- Investigate sexual risk behaviors among drug users in Indian metropolitan cities.
Main Methods:
- Snowball sampling used to recruit 70 drug users.
- Comparison with 128 age- and economic status-matched non-drug user controls.
- Analysis of sexual behaviors including partner numbers, anal intercourse, and commercial sex work.
Main Results:
- Sexually active drug users reported significantly more sex partners (78% vs. 43%) and higher prevalence of anal intercourse (25.7% vs. 8.6%).
- Drug users were 6.7 times more likely to visit commercial sex workers.
- Higher STD prevalence observed in drug users.
Conclusions:
- Drug users demonstrate a significantly higher frequency of high-risk sexual behaviors.
- Need for targeted interventions, including awareness and prevention education, to mitigate STD and HIV transmission among drug users.
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