Client-Level Coverage of Needle and Syringe Program and High-Risk ‎Injection Behaviors: A Case Study of People Who Inject Drugs in ‎Kermanshah, Iran

Background: Needle-syringe programs (NSP) have been running in Iran since ۲۰۰۲. However, the coverage of such program among the NSP clients at the individual level was not studies yet. This study aimed to determine the client coverage of NSP and its correlation with high injection-related risk behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kermanshah province, Iran, in ۲۰۱۴. ۲۳۰ people who inject drugs (PWID) recruited from two drop-in centers (DICs) from April to September ۲۰۱۴, participated in a face-to-face interview to provide information related individual coverage of NSP, demographic characteristics, and injecting behaviors ۳۰ days prior to the interview. Findings: Overall, the average of syringe coverage was ۱۵۸% [۹۵% confidence interval (CI) = ۶۵.۷-۲۰۵.۵], while ۵۶% (۹۵% CI = ۴۰-۹۷) have individual converge less than ۱۰۰%. Needle/syringe sharing was significantly higher among individual with low NSP coverage [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = ۲.۶, ۹۵% CI = ۱.۳-۶.۲]. About ۸۵% participants with coverage of less than ۱۰۰% reported reuse of syringe within the last ۳۰ days (AOR = ۳.۲, ۹۵% CI = ۱.۴-۷.۷). Conclusion: PWID are different regarding their NSP individual-level converges. There are certain clusters of PWID, who do not receive sufficient number of syringes. Given that insufficient individual syringe coverage level is highly associated with injection risk behaviors, reasons for such low converge need to be assessed and addressed carefully.

کلیدواژه ها:

Needle-syringe programs ، Risk behaviors ، Effectiveness ، Individual-coverage ، Iran