Clustering of Syringe Sharing and Unprotected Sex Risk Behaviors in Male Injecting Drug Users in China

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Abstract
Objectives: To investigate, among male injecting drug users (IDU), the relationships between higher risk IDU-related and sex-related behaviors. Goal: To highlight the clustering effects of the 2 forms of risk behaviors. Study Design: Behavioral surveillance surveys conducted in Sichuan were analyzed (n = 3105). Results: Of all respondents, 35.7% had injected with others' used syringes in the last 6 months, which was associated with female sex workers (FSW) and nonregular sex partners (NRP) partnership (OR = 1.81 and 1.59 respectively), and having had unprotected sex with FSW, NRP, and regular sex partners (OR = 1.96, 1.57, and 1.38 respectively). Higher drug use frequency was associated with having unprotected sex with FSW (among client of FSW, OR = 1.7) and with NRP (among those with NRP, OR = 1.61). Giving used syringes to others for injection was also associated with unprotected sex with NRP (OR = 1.97). Conclusions: Interventions are urgently required to reduce both IDU-related and sex-related risk behaviors among male IDU.