Abstract:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to assess awareness on HIV/AIDS among the Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in two Rehabilitation Centers of Dhaka city. The study reveals that drug addiction occurred at the age ranging from 20 to 40 years and above. Out of all the study samples of size (n=100) male and female ratio was 63:37. The study showed that IDU was highest (38%) among the illiterate. Of the study samples 12% could sign, read, and write only, 19% had primary, 17% had secondary, 9% had higher secondary and 5% had graduation or higher level of education. Drug addiction continued for 1-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-12 years, and more than 12 years among 9%, 45%, 23%, 18%, and 5% IDUs respectively. Age groups of starting the drug use was <15 years, 15-18 years, 19 years or more for 10%, 55% and 35% of study samples respectively. The way of getting in drug use/addiction was mostly due to friends’ incitement being 42%, emotional- 25%, self curiosity-10%, and environmental influence-10%. Among the IDUs 75% knew about transmission of HIV/AIDS through shared needles but 22% were ignorant about it. About the symp-toms of AIDS 35% did not know anything at all but 15% respondents knew about chronic cough, 14% knew about weight loss, and 22% knew about fever. The study further reveals that the IDUs had mixed knowledge on prevention of HIV/AIDS. Nutrition status through BMI revealed that 18% of IDUs were severely malnourished, 32% were moderately malnourished and 26% were mildly malnourished and only 4% were overweight. Of them only 20% had normal nutri-tional status. These data warrant creation of awareness about adverse effects of unrestricted injected drug use (IDU) which might spread HIV/AIDS and any other blood borne diseases consequently paralyzing our society structure in the days to come.
