Everyday Life Information Behavior, Health Information Seeking, and HIV and STI Awareness Among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID)

This study aims to explore the everyday life and health information behavior of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Bangladesh, as well as the effectiveness of HIV and STI informational programs in promoting safe injecting and sexual behavior. The study received 97 completed survey responses and conducted two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 13 PWID. Using de Certeau's everyday life practices framework, the study aims to understand the tactical information behavior of PWID in the context of a developing country where access to government services and trust in authorities may be significantly limited among marginalized populations such as PWID. The PWID in this study reported that they require very limited information in their everyday lives and consult mainly other PWID and NGO workers to meet their information needs. The findings also suggest that PWID is experiencing significant unmet information needs. For their health information/services, they reported mainly using local pharmacies and NGO clinics. Although PWID claimed to participate in HIV and STI prevention programs and events, their needle/syringe use and sexual practices suggest those informational programs were not always playing an important role in motivating them to practice safe injecting and sexual behavior. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the vulnerability of PWID in accessing information and the limitations of informational programs in specific contexts, with implications for information science researchers and interdisciplinary agencies working to address the rapid spread of HIV and other infections among PWID in Bangladesh. Further research is needed to explore the motivational factors for practicing unsafe needle/syringe sharing and sexual practices among PWID.