Injecting drug users, HIV risk behaviour and shooting galleries in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

FRANÇAIS :
L'étude réalisée dans une ville du Nord du Bangladesh porte sur les usages de drogues, les injections, les comportements sexuels et les connaissances du VIH et du Sida chez 64 patients en traitement. Tous sont de sexe masculin, et d'âge moyen 32 ans. Tous pratiquent l'injection, surtout de buprénorphine, et ils ont un long passé de toxicomanie mais une histoire d'injection récente (moins de 3 ans). Les rapports sexuels avec des prostituées ou des partenaires occasionnels sont fréquents. La plupart ont entendu parler du Sida, mais peu connaissent les modes de transmission. 81% s'injectent les drogues dans des salles d'injection où ils payent un tiers pour le faire. L'hygiène et l'injection propre n'y sont pas respectées. Il existe une réelle urgence à évaluer la prévalence du VIH au Bangladesh pour construire des stratégies permettant une modification de ces pratiques.
ENGLISH :
The purpose of this study was to investigate HIV risk behaviours of IDUs and the drug scene in Bangladesh. The setting for the study was the city of Rajshahi. in the northwestern area of Bangaldesh, which shares a border with India. Sixty-four clients of a drug treatment agency were surveyed about their drug use, drug injecting, sexual behaviour and knowledge about HIV and AIDS. All participants were males with a mean age of 32 years. Most participants had no or little formal education. All participants had injected drugs, primarily buprenorphine. The majority of participants werelong-term drug users who had begun injecting drugs recently - 70% had commenced injecting in the last 3 years. Sexual contact with sex workers (50%) and with casual partners (85%) was common among participants. Although most participants had heard of AIDS, few knew how HIV is n transmitted. Most participants (81%) injected in groups at shooting galleries where they paid another to inject them. The shooting galleries operated without concern for hygiene or user safety. The potential for Hiv to spread among IDUs and onto their non-injecting sexual partners in Bangladesh is cause for concern. A rapid assessment of HIV prevalence among IDUs in Bangladesh is urgently required. (Author's abstract.)