Socio-Demographic Correlates of Injection Drug Use Among Male Drug Users: A Cross Sectional Study in Nepal

Abstract

Drug abuse is one of the major public health problems in Nepal. The objective of this study is to explore the factors responsible for the injecting drug use in Nepal. A cross sectional study was conducted among drug users in Pokhara sub metropolitan city in Nepal. Taking prevalence of 20% at 95% confidence interval and 20% non-response rate, 448 samples were calculated for face to face interviews. Most of the study participants were >24 year's age. Sixty-one percentage of the participants were unemployed. The largest percentage belonged to Gurung/Rai/Pun (37%) ethnic groups, and had completed secondary level of education (47.5%). In the logistic regression analysis occupation, motivating factors for drug use, ever been to custody, age at first drug use, age at first sex, money spent on drugs, ever been rehabilitated and age of the respondents showed a statistically significant association with injecting drug use status. The respondents having business [Adjusted Odds ratio (aOR) 4.506, 95% CI (1.677-12.104)], service [aOR 2.698, 95% CI (a1.146-6.355], having tragedy/turmoil [aOR 3.867, 95% CI (1.596-9.367)], family problem [aOR 2.010, 95% CI (2.010-53.496)], had sex at >19 years [aOR 1.683, 95% CI (1.017-2.785)], rehabilitated >2 times [aOR 4.699, 95% CI (1.401-15.763)], >24 years age group [aOR 1.741, 95% CI (1.025-2.957)] had higher odds of having injecting habits. Having money spent on drugs >3,000 NRs (300 USD) [aOR 0.489, 95%CI (0.274-0.870), not been to custody (aOR 0.330, 95%CI (0.203-0.537)] and having curiosity for drug use [aOR 0.147, 95% CI (0.029-0.737)] were found to be protective for injecting drug use. This study recommends the harm reduction program specifically focused on drug users of occupational groups like business, service and the youths through public health actions to stop transiting them to injecting drug use.

Drug injection and associated factors among the elderly living with HIV/AIDS in Tehran, Iran

“…The achieved results suggested a correlation between income and the injection of substances; those who earned more than 15000000 Rials per month reported significantly more rates of drug injections. These findings are consistent with the study by Neupane, Mishra, Adhikari, Poudyal in 2014 ( 44 ), but contrary to a previous study in Iran ( 45 ). The former research concluded that drug injection is more prevalent among people from lower socioeconomic status.…”

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With HIV/HCV High-Risk Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs on Methadone Maintenance Treatment: A 10-Year Observational Study

“…Several studies demonstrated that the younger the individual, the higher the risk of IDU (14)(15)(16), needle sharing (14,17,18), and having MSP (14,19). Still, other studies showed that age was positively correlated with IDU (20,21). Controversial opinions on gender (14,19,22), education (14,16,23), and marital status (14, 16, 24) had been raised.…”

Groin hit death due to femoral vein rupture in a drug abuser

“…A study done in Nepal on 2014, shows that more than 90 percent of the total drug addicts in Nepal have started using drugs before the age of 16. 6 Drug addiction has various complications, which can range from physical to psychological. These complications can be severe enough to cause the death of the individuals.…”

“…A study using the logistic regression analysis including occupation, motivating factors for drug use, ever been to custody, age at first drug use, age at first sex, money spent on drugs, ever been rehabilitated and age of the respondents showed a statistically significant association with injecting drug use status. 6 Injecting drug users, respondents initiating substance use early in life, using substances many times in a day and using both licit and illicit substances are at greater risk of having more significant psychosocial problems. 9 A study provides the evidence of relapse who starts using drugs at the age of 15 to 35 years, they were relapsed 100 per cent.…”