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Table 1 Key characteristics of the studies included in the scoping review

From: Understanding injecting drug use in Afghanistan: A scoping review

Study Number

Author & Publication Year

Study Year

Study Location

Study Design

Sample Size

Sample Characteristics

Thematic Area

1

Bautista et al., 2010 [48]

2005–2006

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

459

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed by injection stigmata)

Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis

Todd et al., 2007 [49]

2005–2006

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

463

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the past 6 months (confirmed by injection stigmata)

Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and associated risk behaviours

Todd et al., 2007 [50]

2005–2006

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

463

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the past 6 months (confirmed by injection stigmata)

HIV knowledge and awareness and their association with residence outside Afghanistan

Todd et al., 2008 [51]

2005–2006

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

463

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the past 6 months (confirmed by injection stigmata)

Prevalence and correlates of needle/syringe sharing among PWID

Todd et al., 2009 [52]

2005–2006

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

463

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the past 6 months (confirmed by injection stigmata)

Prior utilization of harm reduction and addiction treatment services

2

Burrows et al., 2019 [46]

2017–2018

Kabul

Mixed methods (qualitative interviews, field observations & desk review)

8–10 participants per focus groups (2–3 focus groups)

Not applicable (unit of analysis is country (Afghanistan))

Access to harm reduction services/resources

Burrows et al., 2021 [65]

2018

Kabul

Mixed methods (qualitative interviews, field observations & desk review)

8–10 participants per focus group (2–3 focus groups)

Not applicable (unit of analysis is country (Afghanistan))

Access to harm reduction services/resources

3

MENAHRA, 2013 [53]

2013

Kabul

Qualitative (in-depth interviews)

10 women who inject drugs 4 key informants (subject matter experts)

Women, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 12 months

Various themes related to access to harm reduction services among women who inject drugs

4

Nasir et al., 2011 [54]

2006–2008

Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

615

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed through injection stigmata)

Prevalence and correlates of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C infection

Nasir et al., 2011 [55]

2006–2008

Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

615

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed through injection stigmata)

Comparing PWID with and without hepatitis C virus viremia

Sanders-Buell et al., 2010 [56]

2006–2008

Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

10

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed through injection stigmata)

HIV genotypes among PWID and sex workers

Sanders-Buell et al., 2013 [57]

2006–2008

Jalalabad, Herta, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

113

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed through injection stigmata)

Circulating hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and genetic linkages among HCV positive PWID

5

Rasekh et al., 2019 [66]

2016

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

410 PWUD of which n = 55 were PWID

Male, age ≥ 18, receiving treatment for drug use

Prevalence and risk factors of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C infection among PWUD

Risk factors of IDU among PWID

6

Rasheed et al., 2022 [67]

2018–2019

Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz, Faizabad, Kandahar, Zaranj

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

1378

99% (n = 1369) male, age 15–64, reported IDU in the past 12 months

Mapping and prevalence estimation of PWID in Afghanistan

7

Ruiesenor-Escudero et al., 2014 [68]

2009

Kabul, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

548

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 3 months

Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and other infectious disease; correlates of HIV and hepatitis C infection

8

Ruiesenor-Escudero et al., 2015 [58]

2010–2012

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

95

Male, age ≥ 18, reported current heroin injection and enrolled in opioid substitution therapy (OST)

Evaluation of OST pilot programme (characteristics of OST participants; factors associated with programme retention)

9

Todd et al., 2009 [59]

2009

Kabul

Qualitative (focus groups and free-list interviews)

2 focus groups with PWID (n = 20)

Free-list interviews with PWID (n = 61)

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months

Various themes were explored to describe the current context of IDU and available harm reduction programmes

10

Todd et al., 2010 [60]

2005–2008

Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

1078

Male, age ≥ 18, reported IDU in the last 6 months (confirmed through injection stigmata)

Prevalence and correlates of syphilis and condom use

11

Todd et al., 2011 [61]

2007–2009

Kabul

Quantitative; Observational cohort

483

Male, age ≥ 18, reporting IDU in the past 30 days

Prevalence and correlates of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis

Prevalence and corelates of harm reduction programme use

Todd et al., 2015 [62]

2007–2009

Kabul

Quantitative; Observational cohort

483

Male, age ≥ 18, reporting IDU in the past 30 days

HIV, hepatitis C, and mortality incidence and predictors

Needle and syringe programme usage

Todd et al., 2016 [63]

2007–2009

Kabul

Quantitative; Observational cohort

386

Male, age ≥ 18, reporting IDU in the past 30 days

Factors influencing risk behaviours among PWID

12

UNDOC, 2009 [14]

2009

32 provincial capitals, 354 district centres

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

2609 PWUD of which n = 148 were PWID

PWUD sample: 97% (n = 2534) male, age ≥ 18, reporting drug use in the past 12 months

PWID sample: No gender or sex composition provided, age ≥ 18, reporting lifetime IDU

Prevalence of IDU; Risk behaviours; Access to harm reduction services

13a

UNDOC, 2014 [47]

 

17 provinces

Mixed methods (interviewer-administered questionnaire and focus groups)

3163 PWUD of which n = 32 were PWID

PWUD sample: 75% (n = 2388) male, age ≥ 18, reporting drug use for ≥ 6 months

PWID sample: Male, age ≥ 18, reporting injecting heroinb

Risk behaviour (needle/syringe sharing)

14

Vogel et al., 2012 [64]

2009

Kabul

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

30 Opiate users of which n = 23 were PWID

PWID sample: Male, ≥ 18, reporting lifetime IDU

Drug use characteristics

15a

World Bank, 2008 [69]

2006–2007

Kabul, Jalalabad, Mazar-i-Sharif

Quantitative; Cross-sectional

Not specified for the social mapping exercise

76 (survey with IDU in Jalalabad & Mazar-i-Sharif)

Male, age ≥ 18, reported active/current IDU

Mapping and prevalence estimation of PWID; drug use characteristics; risk behaviours; access to harm reduction services

  1. IDU Injecting Drug Use, PWID People Who Inject Drugs, PWUD People Who Use Drugs
  2. aGrey literature reports that did not provide detailed description of research methods
  3. bDid not specify duration/length of injecting heroin