ISSN 2756-3391
African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Exploring the Intersection of Nutrition, Drug Use, and HIV/AIDS Knowledge in Dhaka's Urban Margins
A. K. Obidul Huq1*, Tanni Chowdhury2, Masud Rana3, Jahangir Alam1, S. M. Golam Moktadir1 and M. Z. Manir4
1Department of Food Technology and Nutritional Science, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh.
2SATT & ANISA, International Research Projects by John Hopkins University and ICDDR, Bangladesh.
3Department of Biotechnology and genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail- 1902, Bangladesh.
4Action Contre la FIAM, Cox’sBazar, Bangladesh.
Accepted 1 October, 2025
A cross sectional study was carried out among the 100 floating drug addicted people and 50 commercial sex workers in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. About 26% of sex workers and 36% of drug addicted were aged 20 years. Only thirty six percent of the sex workers and 38% of the drug addicted were married. Among the sex workers, 50% were illiterate whereas 42.9% of the drugs addicted were primary educated. About 78% of the sex workers and 86% of the drugs addicted had monthly income ranges from TK 5,001 to TK 10,000 (1 US$ = 80.00 TK). Among the drug addicts, 94% of the sex workers and 85% of drug addicted had knowledge on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and more than ninety percent (94%) of the sex workers and 78% of the drug addicts had knowledge on route of transmission of HIV/AIDS. For example, they could state that HIV/AIDS can be spread through needle sharing behavior, shaving blade and unprotected sex with HIV positive partners. Majority of respondents were found to have multiple sex partners, and among them only 26% of sex workers and 21.7% of drug addicts were found to use condom regularly. The prevalence of malnutrition among sex workers and drug addicts were 52 and 62%, respectively, and mean body mass index (BMI) of both was 18.54. They (57%) were suffering from various degrees of malnutrition.
Keywords: Awareness, commercial sex workers, drug addiction, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), nutritional status.