Drug Use and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors of Women at a Drop-In Center in Mazandaran Province, Iran, 2014

Abstract

Background: Female drug users are more likely to transmit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to their sexual partners. Little is known about HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cervicitis, and drug abuse among female sex workers in Iran. Objectives: Therefore, this study was conducted at a drop-in center (DIC) in Iran to investigate the prevalence of HIV associated risk factors, the prevalence of drug use, high-risk sexual behaviors, and the relationship between the associated factors in women. Patients and Methods:This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 female sex workers (SW) in a DIC in Sari, Mazandaran, Northern Iran, in January and February 2014. The study sample was selected through census sampling. In the end, 190 female SWs referring to the DIC participated in our study. There was no limitation in sampling. The self-administered questionnaire was completed via an interview. Results:The results showed that 39% of the female SWs were less than 30 years old and 64% had elementary school education. In addition, 59% of the participants took some type of illegal drugs and 1.1% of them were reportedly injecting drug users. Moreover, 43% of them had substance dependent husbands, and 39% were reportedly regular condom users. They had 1 -10 sexual partners on average per week. The overall prevalence of HIV infection was 4%. A significant relationship was found between the type of drugs used and factors such as having a substance dependent husband, use of condom during the last sexual contact, regular condom use, and the number of sexual acts per week. A significant correlation exists between using psychiatric drugs and factors like regular condom use, education, cervicitis, and the number of sexual conducts per week. Conclusions: Female sex workers often engage in sex for financial reasons and are at high risk of drug abuse, HIV, and cervicitis. In addition, the rate of cervicitis among females with high-risk sexual behavior is considerable in Mazandaran, Iran. Therefore, the state authorities should provide sex workers with health care services and help them acquire a good job to support their life.

Declining trends in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers in Iran could be attributable to reduced drug injection: a cross-sectional study

“…The HIV prevalence in the 2015 survey was in range with those reported in recent small-scale, city-level studies among FSWs, such as in Kerman (0.1%–2.6%),14 Shiraz (2.5%–7.8%),15 Sari (1.8%–9.1%)16 and Tehran (CI 2.1% to 9.5%)17; however, comparisons between these studies need to be done keeping an eye on the differences in sample size and sampling approaches.…”

Methamphetamine Use Disorder Untreated among Women in Methadone Treatment in Iran

“…Participants were regular MA users with multiple problems such as divorce, unemployment and poly use of other illicit drugs. This is consistent with some studies which indicate that drug-using women in methadone treatment frequently report divorce, low socio-economic status and unemployment (4,5,22,23). Consistent with other studies (22,23), most participants had initiated drug use with alcohol, opium and cannabis before transitioning to heroin and MA use.…”

“…Lack of reporting MA treatment can be related to stigma and inadequate treatment services in the community (24). Poor readiness to change MA use and untreated MA use disorder among women in methadone treatment can result in poor treatment outcomes (5,24). Therefore, MA treatment services should be specifically provided for this group.…”

“…A study at a methadone clinic in Zahedan indicated that MA use increased among patients from six percent in 2009 to approximately 20% in 2011 (4). A study of 190 opioiddependent women at a methadone clinic in Mazandaran indicated that 25% of the participants were regular MA users (5).…”

In Commodity Plastics

“…Ghaffari and Taghizadeh investigated the kinetics and mechanisms of graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate onto PVC using benzoyl peroxide as the freeradical initiator. It was noted that grafting effi ciency was related to initiator, monomer and polymer concentrations, reaction time, and processing temperature [15] .…”