CDC e-HAP FYI Updates: HIV and Injecting Drug Users Report

CDC e-HAP FYI Updates: HIV and Injecting Drug Users Report

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July 3, 2014

New CDC Report: HIV Infection & Risk, Prevention and Testing Behaviors among Injecting Drug Users

Today, CDC published data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Results show that injecting drug users (IDUs) in the United States engage in sexual and drug-use behaviors that increase their risk for HIV infection which highlights the critical need for strengthened prevention efforts to help to decrease risk behaviors, and increase access to HIV testing, substance abuse treatment, as well as other prevention services for IDUs. NHBS monitors HIV prevalence, risk behaviors and use of HIV testing, treatment and prevention services among populations at high risk for HIV infection.

The report presents data from the second cycle of the NHBS among IDUs conducted in 2009, in which IDUs in 20 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) were tested for HIV and surveyed regarding risk behaviors, HIV testing, and use of prevention services.  

The highest percentages of receptive sharing of syringes and unprotected sex were reported among young IDUs aged 18-29 years: 52% receptively shared syringes, 80% of men had unprotected sex and 89% of women had unprotected sex in this age group. These findings suggest that many young IDUs engage in risk behaviors that place them at increased risk of HIV infection, which could lead to increased HIV transmission in this population.

CDC recommends that IDUs be tested for HIV annually. Although most participants had been tested for HIV infection previously, less than half (49%) had been tested in the past year. These findings highlight the importance of promoting HIV testing in this population.

To reduce the number of HIV infections among IDUs, additional efforts are needed to decrease the number of persons who engage in risk behaviors. Programs for IDUs that address prevention and treatment for other sexually transmitted infections and blood borne infections, such as Hepatitis C virus, are also critical and can increase access to and timeliness of prevention and treatment services to improve health outcomes in this population.

CDC will continue to use NHBS data to monitor behaviors among persons at high risk for HIV infection and guide prevention efforts.