Do drug users in China who frequently receive detoxification treatment change their risky drug use practices and sexual behavior?

Background: Relapse rates among treated drug users in China are high. We examined the associations between frequency of drug detoxification treatment and HIV-related risky drug practices and sexual behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among drug users in two Anhui province detoxification centers in 2003. Results: A total of 312 drug users were recruited. Seventy-seven percent of the subjects had ever received two or more detoxification treatments. The median number of detoxification treatments received was three, with an interquartile range of two to five treatments. More than 7 in 10 (72%) ever injected drugs; 19% shared needles and syringes in the past 30 days; 40% of drug users reported having both regular and commercial sex partners in the past year and 48% reported having only regular sex partners. Multiple Poisson regression analysis documented that the frequency of detoxification treatment was not associated with a decrease in drug practice (injection or sharing needles) and in unprotected sex. Conclusion: Drug users who frequently received detoxification treatment did not change their risky drug use practices and sexual behavior. Effective behavioral interventions and substitution maintenance treatment should become an integral part of detoxification programs in China. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.