Predictors of HIV Risk Behavior in Iranian Women Who Inject Drugs

• Author: Solmaz Farmanfarmaee,Joshua J. Matacotta,Mohammad Darharaj,Jane O’Bryan,Kaveh Khoshnood,Mojtaba Habibi
• DOI: 10.1177/0022042617693383
• Published date: 01 July 2017
• Date: 01 July 2017
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042617693383

Journal of Drug Issues

2017, Vol. 47(3) 356 –369

© The Author(s) 2017

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DOI: 10.1177/0022042617693383

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Article

Predictors of HIV Risk Behavior in

Iranian Women Who Inject Drugs

Mojtaba Habibi1, Solmaz Farmanfarmaee2,

Mohammad Darharaj3, Kaveh Khoshnood4,

Joshua J. Matacotta5, and Jane O’Bryan6

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate predictors of drug-related HIV risk behaviors among women

who inject drugs. A total of 163 women were recruited from harm-reduction-oriented drug-

treatment centers in Tehran, Iran. Each completed a set of measures that included the Risk

Behavior Assessment, Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition, Revised Self-Efficacy Scale,

and Peer Group Beliefs Regarding HIV-related Risk Behaviors Scale. The results indicated

that past attempts to abstain from drugs, using methadone maintenance treatment programs,

and acceptance of peers’ risky norms were significant predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing

predictors of frequency of injection, respectively. Furthermore, predictors of frequency of sharing

injection paraphernalia included purchasing drugs jointly with other drug users and peers’ norms

conforming injecting drug use behaviors. Harm reduction services that take into consideration

cultural and peer norms, as well as the development and implementation of HIV prevention

programs, are likely to reduce drug-related HIV risk behaviors in women who inject drugs.

Keywords

HIV/AIDS, risky injection behaviors, drug abuse, women

AIDS is caused by HIV and results when untreated infection weakens the immune system over a

prolonged period of time. It decreases the body’s ability to protect itself against opportunistic

infections and if untreated could be fatal (Cleghorn & Reitz, 2005). Statistics released by the

World Health Organization (WHO) show that the number of people living with HIV increased

from 29.8 million in 2001 to more than 36.7 million at the end of 2015—a 23% increase, with

women accounting for half of the total figure (WHO, 2016).

HIV-related transmission risk is through behaviors such as unprotected sex, needle sharing

among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), as well as from an infected pregnant mother to her

1Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

4Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, New Haven, CT, USA

5California State University, Fullerton, USA

6Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA

Corresponding Author:

Mohammad Darharaj, Department of Clinical Psychology, Kharazmi University, Mofatteh St., P.O. Box 1983969411,

Tehran, Iran.

Email: M.darharaj@gmail.com

693383JODXXX10.1177/0022042617693383Journal of Drug IssuesHabibi et al.

research-article2017