Patterns of drug use profiles among injection drug users in Tehran, Iran: a latent class analysis

ABSTRACT

Background: The objective of this study is, to describe patterns (or “classes”) used latent class analysis (LCA) to examine patterns of drug use profiles among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) then to examine factors associated with each identified classes membranes in PWIDs in Iran.

Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, using snow-ball sampling, we recruited 500 PWIDs in Tehran. Clustering of the behaviors was investigated using exploratory LCA. After identification of the latent classes and optimal number of latent classes, we used multi-nominal regression to identify factors associated with class membership.

Results: The mean, standard deviation (SD) and median durations of injection drug use were 6.0 ± 4.6 and 3.2 (IQR, 3.6–11.1) years the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) represented that the class 1 members had higher odds of being homeless (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4–5.7); in past 12 months. Unemployed status predicted membership in the class. Odds of class 1 membership was higher in PWIDs who were Unemployed (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 0.52–2.63), and reported HIV-positive (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.74–6.52)

Conclusion: PWIDs who reported being the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) positive were significantly more likely to belong to class 1, being primarily methamphetamine users who initiated injection at age 22 years or younger.

KEYWORDS:

• Patterns
• drug use profiles
• Tehran
• latent class analysis

Authors’ contributions

MN and BA helped in study concept and design. MN and AR helped in analysis and interpretation of data. MN AF and BA drafted the manuscript. BA, EA, AB, MHF and KW helped in a critical revision of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank all staff in the drop-in centre who contributed in recruiting. We profoundly thank people who were generous for their time and participated in the study. We also want to appreciate Mostafa Shokoohi and other experts from Regional Knowledge Hub for HIV Surveillance who provided valuable inputs to the study protocol and the questionnaire.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparableethicalstandards.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

All other authors had no conflicts of interest to be declared.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Funding

This study, funded by Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Office (SAPTO) of Mental Health, Social Health and Addiction Department (MeHSHAD) of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Islamic Republic of Iran.