Prevalence and willingness to access HIV services among people who inject drugs in the northern states of Nigeria

Abstract Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) face a dual risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through needle sharing and engagement in risky sexual behaviors. This study aims to assess the prevalence of HIV among PWID in the northern states of Nigeria, evaluate their willingness to access HIV services, and identify barriers hindering their utilization of these services. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey targeted PWID across three selected local government areas in Kano State, Nigeria. Participants were recruited using a snowball sampling technique. Trained research assistants gathered quantitative data, which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Macintosh, version 28.0 (Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The HIV prevalence among PWID was found to be 14.2%. Factors associated with HIV prevalence included being female (odds ratio [OR] = 2.065; 95% confidence interval [CI] =[0.989–4.311], P = 0.054) and having no formal education (adjusted OR [AOR] = 3.462; 95% CI = [0.996–12.037], P = 0.051). The primary motivation for self-testing was to ascertain HIV status (77.1%). Willingness to access HIV services was reported at 53.8%, with influencing factors including residence in Fagge (AOR = 0.075; 95% CI = [0.022–0.262], P < 0.001) or Tarauni (AOR = 0.050; 95% CI = [0.018–0.166], P < 0.001), being female (crude OR [COR] = 1.732; 95% CI = [0.996–3.011], P = 0.052), achieving secondary education (COR = 0.344; 95% CI = [0.162–0.731], P = 0.005), abstaining from drug abuse (AOR = 0.532; 95% CI = [0.214–1.324], P = 0.010), and encountering obstacles to accessing HIV prevention services (AOR = 24.497; 95% CI = [1.586–378.439], P = 0.022). Key barriers to accessing HIV services included unwelcoming facilities and a lack of specialized information (47.5%). Conclusion: Despite significant challenges, PWID demonstrates a moderate willingness to utilize HIV services, presenting an opportunity for targeted intervention. Addressing stigma, bridging service gaps, and improving the friendliness of healthcare facilities are critical steps to enhance HIV prevention and treatment among this population.