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Self-Reported Lifetime Hepatitis B Virus Testing, and Vaccination Uptake Among People Who Inject Drugs in Iran: A Nationwide Study in 2020 Publisher Pubmed



Bazrafshani MS1 ; Mehmandoost S1 ; Tavakoli F1 ; Shahesmaeili A1 ; Ghalekhani N1 ; Sharafi H2, 3 ; Seyedalinaghi S4 ; Haghdoost A1 ; Karamouzian M5, 6 ; Sharifi H1, 7
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
  2. 2. Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
  3. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
  4. 4. Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
  6. 6. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
  7. 7. Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States

Source: BMC Public Health Published:2024


Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a silent epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID). HBV testing and vaccination are important for PWID to reduce the risk of infection, prevent chronic complications and contribute to public health efforts in addressing HBV transmission. Our objective was to assess the self-reported lifetime uptake of HBV testing and vaccination among PWID in Iran and their associated factors. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,684 PWID in 11 large cities from July 2019 to March 2020 using a respondent-driven sampling method. Participants were interviewed face-to-face and asked about their lifetime experience of HBV testing and vaccination uptake as the outcome. Logistic regression models were built to identify related factors for reporting HBV testing and vaccination uptake. Results: The prevalence of HBV testing and vaccination uptake among PWID was 14.2% (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 12.8–15.6) and 16.4% (95% CI: 14.9–18.1), respectively. Shared needles, syringes, or equipment in the past 12 months decreased the odds of reporting lifetime HBV testing uptake (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]:0.46, 95% CI: 0.29–0.72). However, having an academic education (AOR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.09–3.30) and lifetime experience of homelessness (AOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.21–2.06) increased the odds of reporting lifetime HBV vaccination uptake. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the low prevalence of HBV testing and vaccination uptake among PWID in Iran. It is essential to understand and address the obstacles preventing PWID from getting tested and vaccinated for HBV. Addressing these barriers could significantly reduce the burden of HBV among this socio-economically marginalized population. © The Author(s) 2024.
Related Docs
1. Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among People Who Use Drugs in Iran: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Trend Analysis, Harm Reduction Journal (2020)
2. Hiv Prevention Cascades for Injection and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Hiv-Negative People Who Inject Drug in Iran, International Journal of Drug Policy (2020)
3. High Level of Vaccination and Protection Against Hepatitis B With Low Rate of Hcv Infection Markers Among Hospital Health Care Personnel in North of Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study, BMC Public Health (2020)
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