Abstract
We conducted a mixed-methods study to understand current drug use practices and access to healthcare services for people who use injection drugs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We used respondent-driven sampling to recruit 45 people who used injection drugs within the past 6 months from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We found high rates of practices that increase HIV/viral hepatitis risk including the use of shared needles (43%) and direct blood injections (bluetoothing) (18%). Despite 35% living with HIV, only 40% accessed antiretroviral therapy within the past year, and one accessed PrEP. None of the participants ever tested for Hepatitis C.
Funder
Center for AIDS Research, Emory University
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Reference38 articles.
1. UNAIDS. Global Report: UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2013. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2013.
2. Screening for HIV and linkage to care in adolescents: insights from a systematic review of recent interventions in high- versus low- and middle-income settings;BC Zanoni;Adolesc Health Med Ther,2018
3. Understanding hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs in South Africa: findings from a three-city cross-sectional survey;A Scheibe;Harm Reduct J,2019
4. The HIV Epidemic in South Africa: Key Findings from 2017 National Population-Based Survey;K Zuma;Int J Environ Res Public Health,2022
5. Striking increase in the incidence of infective endocarditis associated with recreational drug abuse in urban South Africa;R Meel;S Afr Med J,2018