Profile of risk factors for people who inject drugs among a sample at high risk of HIV/AIDS in Kigali, Rwanda

Background The increasing prevalence of people who inject drugs (PWID) among populations at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become a critical public health concern, particularly in Africa. This issue is associated with substantial health-related effects among populations at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Hence, our study aimed to analyze the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol and substance dependence, and depressive symptoms among populations at high risk for HIV. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with 480 respondents living in Kigali, Rwanda, who self-identified as being at high risk for HIV/AIDS and were recruited via snowball sampling. Chi-square bivariate analyses were used to explore associations with PWID status. Variables that were significant in the bivariate analyses were included in a multivariate logistic regression model, in which adjusted odds ratios were used to determine factors associated with PWID status. A 95% confidence interval and a 5% significance level were used to evaluate statistical associations. Results Of the 480 respondents, 86.25% reported symptoms of depression, and 31.5% were identified as PWID. Notably, 78% were male and were between 18 years and 45 years of age. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that participants with substance dependence [aOR = 3.547; 95% CI (1.159–10.857)] and those who used marijuana [aOR = 3.261; 95% CI (1.380–7.708)] were more likely to be PWID than their counterparts. Furthermore, individuals with depressive symptoms [aOR = 4.50; 95% CI (2.55–7.96), p = 0.018] were also more likely to be PWID than their counterparts. Conclusion The results of this study indicated that substance use and alcohol-related behaviors, as well as mental health concerns such as depressive symptoms, were significantly associated with injecting drug use. The findings support the promotion of harm-reduction and prevention strategies that incorporate mental health programs for populations at high risk for HIV.