Survey of drug users'AIDS-related knowledge,attitude and behavior in Zhabei district of Shanghai

Objective The study was conducted to investigate drug users' awareness of AIDS-related knowledge and risk behaviors in order to facilitate the development of AIDS prevention and control strategies. Methods Uniformly designed questionnaires were delivered to 345 drug addicts in the drug rehabilitation center. Results A total of 345 valid questionnaires were received. It was revealed that the drug addicts were informed of certain routes of transmission of AIDS and related knowledge, the overall AIDS-awareness rate of being 72.2%. However, discrimination against and fear of the HIV infected was prevalent. In addition, the sharing of syringes and unsafe sex was also common, given that 19.1% (66/345) shared a syringe with others, 8.3% (27/345) had commercial sex in the circumstances that condoms were rarely used, and 40.2%(121/301) reported that they had never used condoms. The proportion of people who had HIV antibody tests was low, being only 7.8%. Nonetheless, the proportion of those who were willing to receive free HIV antibody tests was relatively high up to 62.3%. Conclusion It is necessary to further strengthen the health education on STD/AIDS related knowledge and behavioral intervention among drug users for preventing the transmission or prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infections.