A Study on the Capture-Recapture Method for Estimating the Population Size of Injecting Drug Users in Southwest China

Abstract

We used the capture-recapture method to estimate the population size of injecting drug users (IDU). We collected and analyzed registry data from the Drug Use Rehabilitation Center in Leshan Downtown District, designed the interval between capture phase and recapture phase, explored the data model of the capture-recapture method (CR), and estimated the size of a local IDU population. The estimated size was 3455. Establishment of a consistent data model played a key role in estimating the IDU population size using CR. CR is an easy-to-use and inexpensive technique for IDU population size estimation, which generates reliable results.