Condom use in intimate partner relationships by high risk Injecting drug users in North East India

Ritu Kumar Mishra, Emmanuel Hospital Association

Introduction: Manipur and Nagaland are high HIV prevalence states in India. HIV prevalence among IDUs in Manipur has increased from 18% to 29% from 2007 to 2008 and in Nagaland from 1.9% to 3.2%. Objectives: To assess the risk of HIV transmission to regular sexual partners of high-risk IDUs (those who share needles AND do not use condoms with non-regular partners); and to identify the socio-demographic determinants of high-risk IDUs. Method: Respondent driven sampling was carried out in 2009 (n=1600). A questionnaire captured information on: demographic characteristics, injecting and sexual behaviours, knowledge of HIV, exposure to interventions and community mobilization. Result: Approximately one-tenth of IDUs with moderate risk used condoms with their regular partners. Condom use with regular partners was highest (90%)among the low risk IDUs. Conclusion: The regular sexual partners of high-risk IDUs are at heightened risk of HIV infection because high-risk IDUs are the least likely to use condoms with regular partners.