Prevalence and Associated Factors of HIV Infection among Male Prisoners in Tehran, Iran

Evidence for an increase in cannabis use in Iran - A systematic review and trend analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance globally. In this systematic review, we examined the prevalence and trends of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder in Iran.

METHODS

We searched International and Iranian databases up to March 2021. Pooled prevalence of use among sex subgroups of the general population, university and high school students, combined youth groups, and high-risk groups was estimated through random-effects model. Trends of various use indicators and national seizures were examined.

RESULTS

Ninety studies were included. The prevalence estimates of last 12-month cannabis use were 1.3% (95%CI: 0.1-3.6) and 0.2% (95%CI: 0.1-0.3) among the male and female Iranian general population, respectively. The prevalence of cannabis use disorder among general population in national studies rose from 0% in 2001 to 0.5% in 2011. In the 2016-2020 period, the pooled prevalence estimates of last 12-month cannabis use were 4.9% (95% CI: 3.4-6.7) and 0.3% (95% CI: 0.0-1.3) among males and females of "combined youth groups", respectively. The linear trend of last 12-month cannabis use among males of "combined youth groups" and among female university students increased significantly from 2000 to 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of cannabis use in Iran is low compared to many countries. However, there is strong evidence of an increase in cannabis use among the youth and some evidence for an increase in cannabis use disorder.

Prevalence of HIV and HCV among injecting drug users in three selected WHO-EMRO countries: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

HIV and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections are responsible for a significant burden of mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries. This study sought to determine the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis C among injecting drug users in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.

METHODS

This review conforms to the Preferred Reporting Guidelines for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science/Knowledge, SID.ir, and MAGIRAN were searched. Studies that were published from 2003 up to 2018 were considered for analysis. Studies were screened for inclusion in duplicate, and also, that data were narratively synthesized.

RESULTS

We report on data from 79 articles. The total number of participants in studies that assessed the prevalence of HIV among injecting drug users included 68,926 participants, while those from studies that assessed HCV prevalence were 23,016 participants. Overall HIV and HCV prevalence among injecting drug users in the three selected countries were 9.1% (95% CI 6.9-12.0%) and 48.3% (95% CI 43.9-52.7%), respectively. Iran had the highest HIV prevalence of 11.0% among injectable drug users (95% CI 8.4-14.2%), while Afghanistan had the lowest HIV prevalence of 3.1% (95% CI 1.5-6.3%) among three selected countries. In Pakistan, the prevalence of HIV was 8.6% (95% CI 4.8-15.0%). Regarding HCV prevalence, Pakistan had the highest while Afghanistan had the lowest, 54.4% (95% CI 33.5-73.9%) and 37.3% (95% CI 35.2-39.4%), respectively. HCV prevalence in Iran was 47.7% (95% CI 43.4-52.0%).

CONCLUSION

Injecting drug users form a special cohort of persons at risk of HIV and Hepatitis C infections. The prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis noted from our findings is significantly high. Awareness of the grave risk of spreading HIV and Hepatitis C associated with sharing needles is recommended among this sub-group of drug users.

Patterns of high-risk behaviors associated with HIV among male prisoners: A latent class analysis

Background: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the most important health challenges worldwide. Moreover, the prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection differs among Iranian prisoners and the general population. The present study aimed to identify the patterns of HIV-related high-risk behaviors in male prisoners. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2832 inmates were examined for HIV-related high-risk behaviors. The required data were collected using a questionnaire on high-risk behaviors, including a history of heterosexual and homosexual intercourse, and a history of drug use disorders. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to analyze the obtained data in WinLTA software. Results: Five latent classes were defined for the male prisoners, as follows: low-risk (20%), moderate-risk (23%), Injection Drug Use (IDU) (8%), heterosexual intercourse/methamphetamine use (38%), and high-risk (11%). The LCA results revealed that high-risk sexual behaviors, IDU, and sharing injection equipment in prisons significantly influence the classification. The obtained data suggested that a history of imprisonment was not frequent in class 2 (OR=1.0033, %95CI:0.9936-1.01) and class 4 members (OR=1.0053, %95CI:0.9929-1.0179). However, it was more prevalent in class 3 (OR=1.0164, %95CI:1.0068-1.0262), and 5 (OR=1.0211, %95CI:1.0129-1.0293). Heterosexual contact had the highest prevalence (75%) in this regard. The results showed that the lowest prevalence of high-risk behaviors was associated with morphine use (0.3%). Among illicit drugs, methamphetamine was the most prevalent drug (42%) in the studied subjects. Conclusion: The present study indicated a high prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors and methamphetamine use in the investigated participants. We observed the co-occurrence of HIV-related high-risk behaviors in male prisoners. Thus, providing safe sex education for prisoners is highly recommended. It is also necessary to pursue care programs about IDU as a key risk factor for HIV transmission in prisons.

HIV Prevalence and Correlations in Prisons in Different Regions of the World: A Review Article

The prevalence of HIV is substantially higher among prisoners than the general population, while the incidence varies considerably in different regions around the world. If we consider Sub-Saharan Africa as one region with the highest prevalence of HIV, data on African prisoners would be limited. Despite the low prevalence of HIV in the Middle East and North Africa, its incidence is rising in these regions with a few exceptions; there are insufficient data on HIV prevalence in prisons. A similar situation is present in both Pacific and Central Asia as well as in Eastern Europe. A high rate of infection is mainly observed among prisoners in Western and Central parts of Europe, since the data from these are more available than other parts. Nowadays, the sexual transmission mode and tattooing are important ways in HIV risks among prisoners after injecting drug use as the most common route of HIV transmission in all regions. However, it is difficult to compare and analyze the prevalence of HIV among prisoners in different regions regarding the limited data and different methods which they used in collecting data. Eventually, it can certainly be said that prisons are one of the high-risk places for HIV transmission; on the other hand, can be a suitable place for implementing HIV case-finding, linkage to treatment and harm reduction programs.