Social Injecting and other Correlates of High-Risk Sexual Activity among Injecting Drug Users in Northern Vietnam

Sexual risk and STDs are relatively high among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Vietnam. We sought to determine characteristics of sexually active IDUs and correlates of high-risk sexual practices among IDUs in Bac Ninh province in northern Vietnam.

IDUs who inject socially and IDUs who share needles are likely to engage in highrisk sexual behaviors and may serve as an important bridge group for epidemic HIV transmission in Vietnam. In addition to messages regarding the dangers of sharing needles and other injection equipment, preventive interventions among newly initiated IDUs should also focus on reducing sexual risk.