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ALBANIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTHIV Risk Behaviors Among Injecting Drug Users inAlbaniaRoland Bani 1 , Arian Boci 2 , Gentiana Rjepaj 3 , Elda Hallkaj 21Department of Infectious Disease Control, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania;2"STOP AIDS Association;3Obstetrical Hospital Koço Glozheni .Aim: To explore the sexual risk behaviors amonginjecting drug users. (IDUs) in order to inform thedevelopment of sexual risk reduction interventionsfor IDUs.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conductedamong a sample of 200 IDUs in capital city, Tirana.The Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS)methodology was used and the sample isrepresentative of Tirana city. The study collectedinformation on demographics; drug use history;sexual risk behavior; HIV/ AIDS knowledge,attitudes, and other psychosocial variables; and HIVand HCV seroprevalence.Results: Population estimates reveal that about 32% of IDU are younger than 25 years old. Themedian age at first injection is 21 years, with about18.5% of IDU estimated to have injected beforethe age of 19. 43.5 % of the population injecteddrugs multiple times daily. The most commonlyused injectable and non-injectable drugs in the pastmonth were heroin (93.2%), diazepam (33.4%),marijuana (48%), and cocaine (30%). Populationestimates show that half of IDU clean their needlesor syringes every time (20.6%) or almost every time(30.7%). The cleaning agents are predominantly coldor hot water (56.5% and 7.1%, respectively), with alow percentage of IDU using alcohol or boilingwater, and none of the IDU participants in thestudy reported using bleach. Only one of the IDUrespondents tested positive for HIV, and the RDSsoftware was unable to estimate the proportion ofthe Tirana IDU network that may be living withHIV. 29.8 % are estimated to be infected withhepatitis C, an infection that is transmitted the sameway as HIV.Conclusion: Sexual risk behavioral, unsafe injectingpractices, coupled with high rates of hepatitis C,illustrate the vulnerabilityof IDU to HIV. While HIVprevalence is low, IDU injection and sexualbehavioral risks warrant immediate attention.Keywords: HIV, Knowledge, Prevention, Risk behavior, Roma82 ALBANIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT
INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE IN TIRANA, ALBANIAHIV- Related Risk Behaviors Among RomaPopulation: Results of a Bio-Behavioral SurveyRoland Bani 1 , Marjeta Dervishi 1 , Shpëtim Qyra 1 , Mimoza Basho 1 ,Silva Bino 11Department of Infectious Disease Control, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.Aim: To provide updated measurements of keybehavioral and biological indicators, includingcorrelations between risk behaviors and exposure tospecific STIs, among Roma population, and enhancecapacities to maintain surveillance as part of theNational AIDS Monitoring Plan.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conductedamong a sample of 620 individuals (aged 18-49) incapital city, Tirana. Standard household clustersampling techniques were used and the sample isrepresentative of urban Tirana. The study exploredHIV-related knowledge and risky sexual behaviors,health-seeking behaviors, and seroprevalence ofHIV, and syphilis among Roma.Results: The weighted Roma study sample wasyoung, with thirty percent of participants being lessthan 24 years of age, and a median age of 30. Interms of education, 38.5 % had received noeducation, a very low percentage given the factthat primary education is compulsory in Albania.94% of the Roma reported ever having had sexualintercourse (defined as vaginal or anal intercourse).The median age at first sex was 16 years of age.The vast majority of Roma (about 84%) had sexbefore the age of 18, with 23.5 % having first sexualintercourse between the ages of 10 and 14 years.This early age of sexual initiation is more commonamong females, almost twice than males. Biologicalprevalence rates of disease were low, none of theRoma, sample tested positive for the HIV. H whilesyphilis rates were 0.3%.Conclusion: The current prevalence of HIV andsyphilis among Roma population is low; however,the high prevalence of reported risky behaviorssuggests that Roma are at high risk of contractingsexually transmitted infections.Keywords: HIV, Knowledge, Prevention, Risk behavior, RomaALBANIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT83
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