Influence of behavioral characteristics of people who inject drugs on uptake of harm reduction services: an observational study

Authors

  • Muthoni Nyaga Improving Public Health Management for Action (IMPACT), Nairobi, Kenya
  • George Otieno Department of Health Management and Informatics, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Alison Yoos Improving Public Health Management for Action (IMPACT), Nairobi, Kenya
  • Grace Wanjau Improving Public Health Management for Action (IMPACT), Nairobi, Kenya
  • Raphael Muli Department of Health Services Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20220828

Keywords:

PWID, Harm reduction, Opiate substitution treatment (OST)

Abstract

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are stigmatized and discriminated against and consequently experience barriers to essential services, which limit their access to care. Without the necessary treatment and unaware of the risks associated with injecting drug use, they remain vulnerable to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections by sharing contaminated injecting equipment. Harm reduction programs are beneficial in reducing the risk of spreading these infections; however, uptake remains low at less than 20-40% in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study sought to assess the influence of behavioral characteristics of PWID on uptake of harm reduction services in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted using respondent-driven sampling to recruit participants in the study. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out. One hundred ninety-two respondents participated in the study, 126 (66%) male and 66 (34%) female. About 71.35% of respondents had low uptake, and 28.65% had high uptake of harm reduction services. The relationship between period of injecting and uptake of harm reduction services was statistically significant at X2=7.079, p value 0.029.

Results: PWID injecting on a less frequent basis were significantly more likely to have adopted harm reduction practices. Peer group support, as well as support from family, were also statistically significant at X2=7.87, p=0.005 and X2=21.869, p<0.001 respectively. These findings suggest that support from peers or family is likely to increase their probability of adopting harm reduction services.

Conclusions: In summary, advocacy, peer support groups and social support networks are encouraged for harm reduction. A study on other factors influencing uptake of harm reduction services may be considered based on the health belief model or the socio-ecological model.

References

Richardson D, Bell C. Public health interventions for reducing HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections in people who inject drugs. Public Heal Action. 2019;8(4):153-3.

Ministry of health. Nairobi, Kenya. Government spearheads Harm Reduction Interventions for Universal Health Care. 2018.

Tun W, Sheehy M, Broz D. HIV and STI Prevalence and Injection Behaviors Among People Who Inject Drugs in Nairobi : Results from a 2011 Bio-behavioral Study Using Respondent-Driven Sampling. 2015:24-35.

Harm reduction for people who use drugs. Geneva, Switzerland, The global fund. 2017;1-25.

Achievements and challenges in introducing a harm reduction programme in Kenya A case study. International Drug Policy Consortium. 2016.

Harm reduction for people who use drugs. Geneva, Switzerland, The global fund. 2020;1-25.

HIV and AIDS in Kenya Groups most affected by HIV in Kenya Sex workers They said that I was careless and irresponsible that’s why I got. Avert. Global information and education on HIV and AIDS. 2018;1-16.

Keefe DO, Bluthenthal RN, Kral AH, Aitken CK, Dietze PM. Measures of harm reduction service provision for people who inject drugs Measuring the effectiveness of needle and syringe programmes. 2019;(2018):605-11.

UNCTAD. Eastern Africa Harm Reduction Conference. Leadership and Innovation for Harm Reduction in Africa, 2018. Available at: http://fileserver.idpc.net/library/East_african_network_on_harm_reduction_meeting.pdf. Accessed on 14 January 2022.

Kurth AE, Cleland CM, Des Jarlais DC. HIV prevalence, estimated incidence, and risk behaviors among people who inject drugs in Kenya. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2015;70(4):420-7.

Scheibe A, Young K, Moses L, Basson RL, Versfeld A, Spearman CW et al. Understanding hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs in South Africa: findings from a three-city cross-sectional survey. Harm Reduction J. 2019;16(28):1-11.

Ministry of Health. National AIDS and STI Control Programme M of H. Third National Behavioural Assessment of Key Populations in Kenya: Polling Booth Survey Report. 2018;1-128.

Ending T, Epidemic HI V, County NC. Nairobi city county HIV and AIDS strategic plan. 2019;1-102.

Skeer MR, Ladin K, Wilkins LE, Landy DM, Thomas J, Avenue H. HHS Public Access. 2019:246-54.

Gogia M, Lawlor C, Shengelia N, Stvilia K, Raymond HF. Hidden populations : discovering the differences between the known and the unknown drug using populations in the Republic of Georgia. Harm Reduct J. 2019;16(1):15

Downloads

Published

2022-03-25

How to Cite

Nyaga, M., Otieno, G., Yoos, A., Wanjau, G., & Muli, R. (2022). Influence of behavioral characteristics of people who inject drugs on uptake of harm reduction services: an observational study. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 9(4), 1611–1617. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20220828

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles