Table 1.
Demographic characteristics and needle/syringe and drug sharing behavior among female IDU reporting and not reporting sex work in Bangladesh
| Characteristics | Sex workers (%) (N = 82 unless otherwise stated) | Non-sex workers (%) (N = 48 unless otherwise stated) | Odds Ratio | (95% CI) |
| Marital status | ||||
| Currently married | 42.7 | 62.5 | 0.5 | 0.2–1.0* |
| Unmarried | 4.9 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.2–58.4 |
| Separated/divorced/widow | 52.4 | 35.4 | 2.0 | 0.9–4.5 |
| Mostly living with | ||||
| Relatives (including spouse) | 54.9 | 81.3 | 0.3 | 0.1–0.7** |
| Friends | 6.1 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 0.3–71.2 |
| Other drug users | 11.0 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 0.5–20.0 |
| Alone | 28.0 | 12.5 | 2.7 | 0.9–8.2* |
| Current living area | ||||
| Slum† | 50.0 | 50.0 | 1.0 | 0.5–2.2 |
| Residential area (not slum)§ | 13.4 | 25.0 | 0.5 | 0.2–1.3 |
| Work place | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0–21.8 |
| On the street | 34.1 | 22.9 | 1.7 | 0.7–4.3 |
| Mazar‡ | 1.2 | 0 | ||
| Ever shared needles/syringes | 96.3 | 85.4 | 4.5 | 1.1–18.3* |
| Borrowed used needles/syringes during last injection in the last 6 months | 30.5 | 22.9 | 1.5 | 0.6–3.4 |
| Lent used needles/syringes during last injection in the last 6 months | 29.3 | 14.6 | 2.4 | 1.0–6.2* |
| Borrowed used needles/syringes in the last 6 months | 72.0 | 62.5 | 1.5 | 0.7–3.3 |
| Lent used needles/syringes in the last 6 months | 70.7 | 66.7 | 1.2 | 0.6–2.6 |
| Borrowed used needles/syringes in the last month | 54.9 | 41.7 | 1.7 | 0.8–3.5 |
| Lent used needles/syringes in the last month | 52.4 | 41.4 | 1.5 | 0.8–3.2 |
| Borrowed used needles/syringes in the last week | 37.8 | 35.4 | 1.1 | 0.5–2.3 |
| Lent used needles/syringes in the last week | 39.0 | 33.3 | 1.3 | 0.6–2.7 |
| Frequency of borrowing used needles/syringes in the last six months (among those who borrowed in the last 6 months) | N = 59 | N = 30 | ||
| Always | 20.3 | 13.3 | 1.6 | 0.5–5.7 |
| Sometimes | 79.7 | 86.7 | 0.6 | 0.2–2.3 |
| Frequency of lending used needles/syringes in the last six months (among those who lent in the last 6 months) | N = 58 | N = 32 | ||
| Always | 17.2 | 6.3 | 3.1 | 0.6–15.3 |
| Sometimes | 82.8 | 93.8 | 0.3 | 0–1.7 |
| Relationship with needles/syringes sharing partners (among those who had ever shared) | N = 79 | N = 41 | ||
| Friend | 29.1 | 31.7 | 0.9 | 0.4–2.0 |
| Family member | 2.5 | 9.8 | 0.2 | 0.04–1.4 |
| Husband/lover | 16.5 | 29.3 | 0.5 | 0.2–1.2 |
| Acquaintances/strangers | 55.7 | 39.0 | 2.0 | 0.9–4.2 |
| Sources of obtaining needles/syringes | ||||
| NSEP | 69.5 | 79.0 | 0.8 | 0.3–1.7 |
| Pharmacy | 50.0 | 47.9 | 1.1 | 0.5–2.2 |
| Friends/other drug users | 13.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 0.8–16.8 |
| Shared injection paraphernalia while injecting drugs in the last 6 months | 74.4 | 56.3 | 2.3 | 1.1–4.8* |
* p value < 0.05, ** p value < 0.01
†Slum: characteristics include poor housing, high housing density, shared latrine, poor sewerage and drainage facility
§Residential area: better quality housing with independent kitchen and latrine facilities
‡Mazar: religious shrine