Youths Living with High Risk of Drug Abuse and HIV in Urban Nepal

Background: A study was carried out in Kalanki, Kathmandu, Nepal with the objectives: (1) To assess the scope and characteristics of drug abuse among the populations of Kalanki; (2) To examine the sex differences in communicable diseases; (3) To find out, whether needle sharing is associated with HIV positive among the IDUs.

Methods: From June to August 2010, IDUs (n=250) aged 15-25 were administered a structured questionnaire. The Street Intercept method was used. Data were collected on the types of substance use, HIV infection rate, condom use, sexual behavior, demographic, depression and willingness to quit substance abuse. Chi-square tests and logical regression were used to find out correlation between the above issues and needle sharing within the last one year.   

Results: 90 percent were male and only 10 percent were female among the 250 participants. Median age was 20 years. Among the 65 percent heroin injectors 35 percent share needles. Prior to base line of 2 months, 30 percent had >2 sex partners, 5 percent of them had casual sex partners. However, only 10 percent of them use condom. The study showed high prevalence of unsafe sex, injection and taking drugs before sex. 25 persons of the 250 IDUs admitted that they are HIV positive (20 male and 5 female) which showed significant gender differences. 80 percent of the 250 participants were in depression, 60 percent were unwilling to quit drugs, 80 percent used alcohol, 70 percent used marijuana and 20 percent used heroin.

Conclusions: The abusers struggling with substance abuse and HIV infection in Kalanki have been ignored. In order to mitigate the risk of HIV transmission and substance abuse problems - treatment policies should be improved together with the educational and intervention programs in the study area. Further study of depression and communicable diseases particularly HIV infection is highly needed.