OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of polysubstance use and its associated factors among general adults in Malaysia.
METHODOLOGY: This was a secondary data analysis from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019), a cross-sectional population survey with a two-stage stratified random sampling design. A total of 10,472 Malaysians aged 18 years and above participated in this survey. Polysubstance use was defined as concurrent use of more than one substance, either alcohol, tobacco, or drugs (opioids, marijuana, amphetamine/ methamphetamine or kratom). A latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify the membership of polysubstance groups. The association of class membership with demographic profiles was examined using Multinomial Logistic Regression analysis.
RESULTS: Fit indices (AIC = 16458.9, BIC = 16443.6) from LCA supported 3 classes solution: Class 1; "moderate-drug" group primarily combination used of tobacco and alcohol (2.4%), Class 2; "high-drug" group using multiple substance including kratom (0.3%) and Class 3; "low-drug" group reporting minimal alcohol and tobacco use or non-user (97.3%). The multinomial model showed young adults (18-40 years) had a higher likelihood of being polysubstance users both for moderate-drug class (OR = 4.1) and high-drug class (OR = 3.9) compared to older age (≥60 years). Chinese (OR = 18.9), Indian (OR = 23.3), Indigenous Sabah & Sarawak (OR = 34.6) and others ethnicity (OR = 8.9) showed higher odds of being moderate-drug users than Malays. The greater odds of moderate-drug use for males (OR = 35.5), working groups (OR = 1.5) and low education level group (OR = 3.2).
CONCLUSION: Our study highlights patterns and demographics related to the use of polysubstances among adults in Malaysia. These results would help formulate specific prevention programmes for these high-risk groups.
AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the patterns and reasons for kratom use among current and former opioid poly-drug users in Malaysia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 204 opioid poly-drug users (142 current users vs. 62 former users) with current kratom use history were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. A validated UPLC-MS/MS method was used to evaluate the alkaloid content of a kratom street sample.
RESULTS: Results from Chi-square analysis showed that there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between current and former opioid poly-drug users except with respect to marital status. Current users had higher odds of being single (OR: 2.2: 95%CI: 1.21-4.11; p drug users (OR: 1.1: 0.62-2.06; p drug users regularly used kratom (three glasses or about 900 mL daily or the equivalent of 170.19 mg of mitragynine) to overcome opioid poly-drug use problems.
DESIGN: We analyzed data from a community-recruited prospective cohort in Vancouver, Canada (n = 623), from 2014 to 2017.
METHODS: We used multivariable generalized mixed-effects analyses to estimate longitudinal factors associated with mean material security score. We then estimated the association between achieving at least 95% adherence to ART and overall mean material score, as well as mean score for three factors derived from a factor analysis. The three-factor structure, employed in the current analyses, were factor 1 (basic needs); factor 2 (housing-related variables) and factor 3 (economic resources).
RESULTS: Recent incarceration [β-coefficient (β) = -0.176, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -0.288 to -0.063], unmet health needs [β = -0.110, 95% CI: -0.178 to -0.042), unmet social service needs (β = -0.264, 95% CI: -0.336 to -0.193) and having access to social services (β= -0.102, 95% CI: -0.1586 to -0.0465) were among the factors associated with lower material security scores. Contrary to expectations that low levels of material security in this population would lead to poor ART adherence, we did not observe a significant relationship between adherence and overall material security score, or for each factor individually.
CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potentially important role of no-cost, universal access to HIV prevention and treatment, in mitigating the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on ART adherence.
Material and methods: Ninety-one serum samples were collected from HIVpositive patients in Surabaya, Indonesia. Human immunodeficiency virus-positive serum samples were collected from 10 homosexual men, 25 intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and 56 heterosexuals. Serums were then tested for the presence of HHV-8 antibody by using sandwich ELISA (Abbexa Ltd, Cambridge, UK).
Results: The total of 91 HIV-infected were testing with antibodies to HHV-8 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies of HHV-8 were detected in 7/91 (7.7%) of the samples. According to a gender, six men (85.7%) and a women (14.3%) were positive of HHV-8 antibodies. No correlation regarding the gender and age from this study. The antibodies of HHV-8 was detected among intravenous drug users (IVDUs) men 5/7 (42.8%) and 2/7 (28.6%) from homosexual and heterosexual, respectively.
Conclusion: This study found the presence of HHV-8 antibodies in 7.7% of patients in Surabaya, Indonesia. This finding was higher more than Southeast Asian countries. The patients with a positive result could suggest measures to prevent HHV-8 infection.