Vietnam (2010): BEHAVIORAL SURVEY OF INJECTING DRUG USERS IN VIETNAM

The main objectives for this research were fourfold: 1. To understand HIV prevention behaviors among IDU, condom use with different partner types, and safe injecting practices 2. To measure the prevalence of the three behaviors related to the initiation into injecting drug use: i. Helping non-injectors to inject for the first time ii. Injecting in the presence of non-injectors iii. Talking about the benefits of injecting with non-injectors 3. To meas ure levels of HIV testing, including VCT and repeat testing. 4. To understand the determinants of the above three behaviors. Between December 2009 and February 2010, PSI Vietnam, in partnership with local research agency, Newcare conducted a behavior survey of male injecting drug users, across seven PEPFAR priority provinces in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, An Giang, Nghe An and Can Tho). Behavioral and other data relevant to HIV risk were collected, together wi th a wider range of social and demographic information. Data was collected via individual face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire. The survey was conducted with a sample of male injecting drug users (IDUs), using a respondent driven sampling method. A total of 1,094 injecting drug users were interviewed for the behavior survey. An injecting drug user (for this study) was defined as any male who had injected in the past 1 month and who are aged between 18-40 years.