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Citation
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Gu J, Lau JT, Li M, Li H, Gao Q, Feng X, Bai Y, Hao C, Hao Y. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014; 144: 102-110. |
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Affiliation
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School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Female injection drug users who are also sex workers (FSW-IDUs) occupy a pivotal population in HIV transmission, whereas their mental health problems are largely overlooked. We aimed to investigate prevalence and associated socio-ecological factors of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts among FSW-IDUs in China.
METHODS: Using snowball sampling methods, 200 FSW-IDUs were recruited from communities in Liuzhou, China. Anonymous face-to-face interviews were administered by trained doctors.
RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent of participants had severe or extremely severe depression, 44.7% had suicidal ideation in the last six months and 26.8% had suicidal attempts in the last six months. After adjusting for background variables, self-stigma was significantly associated with severe or extremely severe depression (OR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.07-1.31). Self-stigma (OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.01-1.15), depression (OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.18), having completely broken up with family (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.35-5.02) and having been abused by clients or gatekeepers (OR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.32-3.50) were associated with suicidal ideation in the last six months, while self-stigma (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.10-1.16), depression (OR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.20) and being abused by clients or gatekeepers (OR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.09-4.24) were associated with suicidal attempt in the last six months. In mediation analyses, the associations between self-stigma and the two suicidal outcomes were fully mediated by depression.
CONCLUSIONS: There are unmet mental health needs of FSW-IDUs. Screening of mental health problems should be integrated into current HIV-related services. Psychological intervention efforts should include components such as self-stigma, family support and abuse.
Language: en |