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Bromberg DJ, Machavariani E, Madden LM, Dumchev K, LaMonaca K, Earnshaw VA, Pykalo I, Filippovych M, Haddad MS, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Integrating methadone into primary care settings in Ukraine: effects on provider stigma and knowledge. J Int AIDS Soc 2024; 27:e26202. [PMID: 38379179 PMCID: PMC10879646 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.26202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stigma has undermined the scale-up of evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment. Negative beliefs influence clinicians' discriminatory behaviour and ultimately have wide-ranging effects across the HIV prevention and treatment continuum. Stigma among clinicians can be mitigated in several ways, including through interpersonal contact. In this study, we test whether interactions with people who inject drugs (PWID) influence attitudes of both direct and indirect providers of opioid agonist therapies (OATs) within the same primary care clinics (PCCs) where OAT is newly introduced. METHODS In a cluster randomized controlled trial integrating OAT and HIV care into PCCs in Ukraine, clinicians at 24 integrated care sites (two sites in 12 regions) from January 2018 to August 2022 completed a structured survey at baseline, 12 and 24 months. The survey included feeling thermometers and standardized scales related to clinician attitudes towards patients and evidence-based care. Nested linear mixed-effects models were used to examine changes in mean scores over three timepoints for both direct and indirect clinicians. RESULTS There were fewer significant changes in any of the scales for direct providers (n = 87) than for indirect providers (n = 155). Direct providers became less tough-minded about substance use disorders (p = 0.002), had less negative opinions about PWID (p = 0.006) and improved their beliefs regarding OAT maintenance (p<0.001) and medical information (p = 0.004). Indirect providers reported improvements in most stigma constructs, including a significant decrease in prejudice (p<0.001), discrimination (p = 0.001), shame (p = 0.007) and fear (p = 0.001) towards PWID. CONCLUSIONS Integrating OAT services within primary settings was associated with significantly reduced stigma constructs and improved attitudes towards PWID, possibly through increased intergroup contact between PWID and general clinical staff. Unlike most stigma reduction interventions, re-engineering clinical processes so that PWID receive their care in PCCs emerges as a multilevel stigma reduction intervention through the integration of specialized services in PCCs. Integration influences different types of stigma, and has positive effects not only on health outcomes, but also improves clinician attitudes and efficiently reduces clinician stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Bromberg
- Yale School of Public Health, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Lynn M. Madden
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- APT FoundationNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | | | | | | | - Iryna Pykalo
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health PolicyKyivUkraine
| | | | - Marwan S. Haddad
- Center for Key Populations, Community Health Center, Inc.MiddletownConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Frederick L. Altice
- Yale School of Public Health, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- University of DelawareNewarkDelawareUSA
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Stuikyte R, Varentsov I, Cook C, Dvoriak S. Correction: Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition from Global Fund Support. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:27. [PMID: 38297340 PMCID: PMC10829202 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00945-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ivan Varentsov
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute On Public Health Policy, Kiev, Ukraine
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Bromberg DJ, Madden LM, Fraenkel L, Muthulingam D, Rhoades D, Dvoriak S, Dumchev K, Pykalo I, Altice FL. Preferences and decisional considerations relating to opioid agonist therapy among Ukrainian people who use drugs: A conjoint analysis survey. PLOS Glob Public Health 2024; 4:e0002725. [PMID: 38277422 PMCID: PMC10817130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Scaling up opioid agonist therapies (OAT) is the most effective strategy to control combined HIV and opioid epidemics, especially in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), where HIV incidence and mortality continue to increase. Patient concerns about OAT, however, have undermined scale-up. The objective of this study is to understand Ukrainian opioid use disorder patient preferences about OAT to guide the development of an evidence-informed decision aid for clinical decision-making. We conducted a conjoint-based choice (CBC) survey. Participants were asked to about their preferences relating to 7 attributes of OAT (cost, dosing frequency, concerns about withdrawal symptoms, adverse side effects, improvements in quality of life, precipitation of withdrawal and legislative requirements to be registered as a drug dependent person) and 20 attribute levels for receiving OAT under differing potential treatment constraints. Data were analyzed using Hierarchical Bayesian models. Using respondent-driven sampling and random sampling, we recruited 2,028 people who inject drugs with opioid use disorder. Relative importance (RIS) and partial-worth utility scores (PWUS) were used to assess preferences for attributes and thresholds within each attribute. Cost and dosing frequency were the most important attributes (RIS = 39.2% and RIS = 25.2%, respectively) to potential patients, followed by concerns about withdrawal symptoms (RIS = 10.8%), adverse side effects (RIS = 9.0%), quality-of-life improvement (RIS = 7.5%), precipitation of euphoria (5.2%) and requirement to be registered as a drug- dependent person (RIS = 3.1%). The monthly cost-threshold for willingness-to-pay was 1,900 UAH ($70 USD). In Ukraine, where both governmental and private OAT clinics have emerged and provide markedly different delivery strategies, preferences are mostly driven by out-of-pocket expenses, despite many patients being willing to pay for OAT. Programmatic demands (flexibility and ease of acquiring medications) remain an important consideration while for a minority, clinical concerns about withdrawal symptoms, adverse side effects and OAT impact on life play a smaller role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Bromberg
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Lynn M. Madden
- APT Foundation, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Liana Fraenkel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Dharushana Muthulingam
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Delaney Rhoades
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- European Institute of Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Iryna Pykalo
- European Institute of Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L. Altice
- APT Foundation, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Stuikyte R, Varentsov I, Cook C, Dvoriak S. Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition from global fund support. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:7. [PMID: 38212809 PMCID: PMC10785371 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00931-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Programmatic and financial sustainability of health responses dependent on donor funding has risen as a major concern. In the HIV field in particular, it generated a number of instruments and assessments on sustainability and processes related to donor transition planning. The authors aimed to develop an instrument specific to opioid agonist therapy (OAT) programs as they were addressed only marginally by the HIV-specific assessments. METHODS The development of the OAT sustainability instrument used desk review of existing HIV sustainability concepts and tools, an International Advisory Board, and piloting to validate the instrument. RESULTS The new OAT sustainability instrument is comprised of the three parts: the conceptual framework, methodological guidelines and a practical implementation tool for assessing the degree of OAT sustainability at the country level. It measures sustainability in the three broad areas for sustainability measuring-Policy & Governance; Finance & Resources; and Services. The selection of indicators and their composites for the three sustainability areas extensively used the United Nations and World Health Organization's guidance on health system building blocks, on care and HIV and viral hepatitis prevention among people using opioids and for opioid dependence, and the definition of access to health framed by the United Nations Convent on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The instrument's methodological guidelines require the engagement of a national consultant to conduct desk review, key informant interviews and focus groups for measuring discrete milestones and adding qualitative information for interpretation of the data, progress and opportunities. The guidelines advise engaging a country-specific multi-stakeholder advisory group for planning, validation and follow-up of the assessment. The pilot of the instrument in 3 countries in 2020 validated it and required minor adjustments in the instrument. By mid-2023, the instrument has been successfully applied in 5 countries. CONCLUSIONS The developed instrument enables a comprehensive review of the resilience of OAT programs and their ability to scale up and to inform a roadmap for improved sustainability. While developed in the context of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, it has been reviewed by a global advisory panel and could be easily adapted outside this regional context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ivan Varentsov
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Bromberg DJ, Galvez de Leon SJ, Litz T, Azbel L, Liberman AR, Polonsky M, Dvoriak S, Saichuk N, Taxman F, Altice FL. Aligning public health and public safety: Probation as a touchpoint to identify and link patients with opioid use disorder to opioid agonist treatment. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023; 3:e0002349. [PMID: 37910486 PMCID: PMC10619786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People in criminal justice settings (CJS) have high rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and HIV. Probation is part of the CJS and congregates many individuals with high rates of mental health and substance use disorders relative to the general population; nevertheless, probation remains a major improvement to incarceration. As a steppingstone to full decarceration efforts, community supervision settings like probation can be leveraged as "touchpoints" to identify and link people with OUD (and other co-morbid conditions) to treatment and reduce criminal activity. METHODOLOGY To determine the feasibility of a modified screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) strategy to link probationers to opioid agonist therapies (OAT) in the newly created probation system in Ukraine, we conducted a single-arm SBIRT intervention in eight probation centers in four Ukrainian administrative regions. For those screening positive for OUD, interest in OAT was assessed before and after a brief intervention. Those interested in OAT were referred to community OAT services. Participants with OUD also underwent HIV testing. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Of the 1,298 consecutive individuals screened, 208 (16.0%) met criteria for opioid dependence. Of these, 122 (58.7%) enrolled in brief intervention, of which 54 (44.3%) had HIV and 14 (25.9%) of these were newly diagnosed. After the brief intervention, interest in starting OAT increased significantly from a median of 7.0 to 8.0 (P = <0.001) using a 10-point scale. Thirty (N = 30; 24.6%) of the enrolled participants initiated OAT and 21 of these (70%) were retained in treatment for 6 months. SIGNIFICANCE The prevalence of OUD (and HIV) is high among people in probation in Ukraine. SBIRT can identify a large number of people eligible for OAT, many of whom were willing to initiate and remain on OAT. Integrating SBIRT into probation can potentially assist with OAT scale-up and help address HIV prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Bromberg
- Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Samy J. Galvez de Leon
- Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Taylor Litz
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Lyu Azbel
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Amanda R. Liberman
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Maxim Polonsky
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Faye Taxman
- George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Frederick L. Altice
- Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Machavariani E, Bromberg DJ, Dumchev K, Dvoriak S, Zeziulin O, Morozova O, Esserman D, Pykalo I, Saichuk N, Ivasiy R, Haddad MS, Altice FL. Design, implementation and preliminary results of a type-2 hybrid cluster-randomized trial of integrating screening and treatment for major depressive disorder into specialty clinics providing opioid agonist therapies in Ukraine. Contemp Clin Trials 2023; 131:107248. [PMID: 37263492 PMCID: PMC10527419 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ukraine has a high prevalence of co-occurring disorders (COD), defined as having both substance use (SUD) and psychiatric disorders. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder among people with SUD. People with COD experience poor health outcomes, and international agencies propose integrated COD care. In Ukraine, treatment for SUD is delivered in specialized substance use clinics, without providing any other medical services for comorbidities, including MDD. Here we present the protocol, along the with the preliminary results of the MEDIUM project, including observations over the first 6 months. METHODS A cluster-randomized type-2 hybrid trial was conducted to integrate MDD treatment into specialty clinics providing opioid agonist therapies (OAT) in Ukraine. Twelve clinics in four regions underwent randomization to control (N = 1) vs experimental arms (N = 2) in each region. Clinicians at experimental sites received tele-education through modified project ECHO using a facilitated screening, evaluation, and treatment algorithm of depression, with or without financial incentives. Service-, patient- and provider-level data were collected for the analysis every 6 months for 24 months. PRELIMINARY RESULTS For service delivery outcomes, 4421 patients enrolled on OAT across all sites were assessed for MDD for screening (76.7%), evaluation with diagnosis (43.5%) and treatment (30.7%) for MDD; 13.8% continued treatment at least for 6 months. For patient-level outcomes, 1345 patients and 54 providers participated in serial surveys every six months. CONCLUSION This study will be the first to explore integrated COD care in Ukraine and generate evidence on effective service integration and delivery strategies for people with COD receiving treatment at substance use clinics with broader implications for Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eteri Machavariani
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Daniel J Bromberg
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Olga Morozova
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Denise Esserman
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Iryna Pykalo
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Roman Ivasiy
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Marwan S Haddad
- Center for Key Populations, Community Health Center Inc, Middletown, CT, United States
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States
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Madden LM, Farnum SO, Bromberg DJ, Barry DT, Mazhnaya A, Fomenko T, Meteliuk A, Marcus R, Rozanova J, Poklad I, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. The development and initial validation of the Russian version of the BASIS-24. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2022; 17:65. [PMID: 36435811 PMCID: PMC9701377 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-022-00343-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efficient and linguistically appropriate instruments are needed to assess response to addiction treatment, including severity of addiction/mental health status. This is critical for Russian-speaking persons in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) where Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) remain underscaled to address expanding and intertwined opioid, HIV, HCV and tuberculosis epidemics. We developed and conducted a pilot validation of a Russian version of the 24-item Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), an addiction/mental health severity instrument with six subscales, previously validated in English. METHODS Using the Mapi approach, we reviewed, translated, and back-translated the content to Russian, pilot-tested the Russian-version (BASIS-24-R) among new MOUD patients in Ukraine (N = 283). For a subset of patients (n = 44), test-rest was performed 48 h after admission to reassess reliability of BASIS-24-R. Exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) assessed underlying structure of BASIS-24-R. RESULTS Cronbach alpha coefficients for overall BASIS-24-R and 5 subscales exceeded 0.65; coefficient for Relationship subscale was 0.42. The Pearson correlation coefficients for overall score and all subscales on the BASIS-24-R exceeded 0.8. Each item loaded onto factors that corresponded with English BASIS-24 subscales ≥ 0.4 in PCA. CONCLUSION Initial version of BASIS-24-R appears statistically valid in Russian. Use of the BASIS-24-R has potential to guide MOUD treatment delivery in the EECA region and help to align addiction treatment with HIV prevention goals in a region where HIV is concentrated in people who inject opioids and where healthcare professionals have not traditionally perceived MOUD as effective treatment, particularly for those with mental health co-morbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M. Madden
- grid.422797.d0000 0004 0558 5300APT Foundation, Inc, 1 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 321, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Scott O. Farnum
- grid.422797.d0000 0004 0558 5300APT Foundation, Inc, 1 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 321, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
| | - Daniel J. Bromberg
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Yale School of Public Health, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Declan T. Barry
- grid.422797.d0000 0004 0558 5300APT Foundation, Inc, 1 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 321, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 S Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06519 USA
| | - Alyona Mazhnaya
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- grid.77971.3f0000 0001 1012 5630School of Public Health, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Hryhoriya Skovorody Street, Kiev, 2 04655 Ukraine
| | - Tetiana Fomenko
- grid.511905.9ICF Alliance for Public Health, 24 Bulvarno-Kudriavska Street, Kyiv, 01601 Ukraine
| | - Anna Meteliuk
- grid.511905.9ICF Alliance for Public Health, 24 Bulvarno-Kudriavska Street, Kyiv, 01601 Ukraine
| | - Ruthanne Marcus
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Julia Rozanova
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Iurii Poklad
- Chernihiv Regional Narcological Dispensary, 3 Shchorsa Street, Chernihiv, 14005 Ukraine
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- European Institute of Public Health Policy, 1 Malopidvalna Street, Office 10, Kiev, 01054 Ukraine
| | - Frederick L. Altice
- grid.422797.d0000 0004 0558 5300APT Foundation, Inc, 1 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 321, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Yale School of Public Health, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- grid.10347.310000 0001 2308 5949Centre of Excellence On Research in AIDS (CERiA), University of Malaya, Malaysia Level 17, Wisma R&DJalan Pantai Baharu, 59990 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Altice FL, Bromberg DJ, Klepikov A, Barzilay EJ, Islam Z, Dvoriak S, Farnum SO, Madden LM. Collaborative learning and response to opioid misuse and HIV prevention in Ukraine during war. Lancet Psychiatry 2022; 9:852-854. [PMID: 36244353 PMCID: PMC9806953 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(22)00318-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Frederick L Altice
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Division of Epidemiology and Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Daniel J Bromberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Division of Epidemiology and Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Adriy Klepikov
- International Charitable Foundation Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Ezra J Barzilay
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Zahedul Islam
- International Charitable Foundation Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Lynn M Madden
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, USA
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Pashchenko O, Bromberg DJ, Dumchev K, LaMonaca K, Pykalo I, Filippovych M, Esserman D, Polonsky M, Galvez de Leon SJ, Morozova O, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Preliminary analysis of self-reported quality health indicators of patients on opioid agonist therapy at specialty and primary care clinics in Ukraine: A randomized control trial. PLOS Glob Public Health 2022; 2:e0000344. [PMID: 36962514 PMCID: PMC10021202 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
International agencies recommend integrating addiction treatment into primary care for people who inject drugs (PWID) with opioid use disorder (OUD). Empirical data supporting integration that incorporates comprehensive health outcomes, however, are not known. For this randomized controlled trial in Ukraine, adult PWID with OUD were randomized to receive opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in specialty addiction treatment clinics (SATC) or to primary care clinics (PCCs). For those randomized to PCC, they were subsequently allocated to PCCs where clinicians received pay-for-performance (P4P) incentives (PCC with P4P) or not (PCC without P4P). Participating cities had one of each of the three intervention sites to control for geographic variation. Ongoing tele-education specialty training (OAT, HIV, tuberculosis) was provided to all PCCs. While the primary outcome for the parent trial focuses on patient medical record data, this preliminary analysis focuses on assessment of self-reported achievement of nationally recommended quality health indicators (QHIs) which is summed as a composite QHI score. Secondary outcomes included specialty and primary care QHI subscores. This study occurred from 01/20/2018-11/1/2020 with 818 of 990 randomized participants having complete self-reported data for analysis. Relative to SATC (treatment as usual), the mean composite QHI score was 12.7 (95% CI: 10.1-15.3; p<0.001) percentage points higher at PCCs; similar and significantly higher scores were observed in PCCs compared to SATCs for both primary care (PCC vs SATC: 18.4 [95% CI: 14.8-22.0; p<0.001] and specialty (PCC vs SATC: 5.9 [95% CI: 2.6-9.2; p<0.001] QHI scores. Additionally, the mean composite QHI score was 4.6 (95% CI: 2.0-7.2; p<0.001) points higher in participants with long term (>3 months) experience with OAT compared to participants newly initiating OAT. In summary, PWID with OUD receive greater primary care and specialty healthcare services when receiving OAT at PCCs supported by tele-education relative to treatment as usual provided in SATCs. Clinical trial registration: This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov and can be found using the following registration number: NCT04927091.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel J Bromberg
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | | | - Katherine LaMonaca
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Iryna Pykalo
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- European Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Denise Esserman
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Maxim Polonsky
- Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Olga Morozova
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
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Lancaster KE, Mollan KR, Hanscom BS, Shook-Sa BE, Ha TV, Dumchev K, Djoerban Z, Rose SM, Latkin CA, Metzger DS, Go VF, Dvoriak S, Reifeis SA, Piwowar-Manning EM, Richardson P, Hudgens MG, Hamilton EL, Eshleman SH, Susami H, Chu VA, Djauzi S, Kiriazova T, Nhan DT, Burns DN, Miller WC, Hoffman IF. Engaging People Who Inject Drugs Living With HIV in Antiretroviral Treatment and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder: Extended Follow-up of HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 074. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab281. [PMID: 34458390 PMCID: PMC8391093 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) living with HIV experience inadequate access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) and medication for opioid use disorders (MOUD). HPTN 074 showed that an integrated intervention increased ART use and viral suppression over 52 weeks. To examine durability of ART, MOUD, and HIV viral suppression, participants could re-enroll for an extended follow-up period, during which standard-of-care (SOC) participants in need of support were offered the intervention. METHODS Participants were recruited from Ukraine, Indonesia and Vietnam and randomly allocated 3:1 to SOC or intervention. Eligibility criteria included: HIV-positive; active injection drug use; 18-60 years of age; ≥1 HIV-uninfected injection partner; and viral load ≥1,000 copies/mL. Re-enrollment was offered to all available intervention and SOC arm participants, and SOC participants in need of support (off-ART or off-MOUD) were offered the intervention. RESULTS The intervention continuation group re-enrolled 89 participants, and from week 52 to 104, viral suppression (<40 copies/mL) declined from 41% to 29% (estimated 9.4% decrease per year, 95% CI -17.0%; -1.8%). The in need of support group re-enrolled 94 participants and had increased ART (re-enrollment: 55%, week 26: 69%) and MOUD (re-enrollment: 16%, week 26: 25%) use, and viral suppression (re-enrollment: 40%, week 26: 49%). CONCLUSIONS Viral suppression declined in year 2 for those who initially received the HPTN 074 intervention and improved maintenance support is warranted. Viral suppression and MOUD increased among in need participants who received intervention during the study extension. Continued efforts are needed for widespread implementation of this scalable, integrated intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Lancaster
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Katie R Mollan
- Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brett S Hanscom
- Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Bonnie E Shook-Sa
- Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tran V Ha
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- UNC Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Zubairi Djoerban
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Scott M Rose
- Science Facilitation Department, FHI 360, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Carl A Latkin
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David S Metzger
- HIV Prevention Research Division, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Vivian F Go
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Academy of Labor, Social Relations and Tourism, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sarah A Reifeis
- Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Paul Richardson
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael G Hudgens
- Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Erica L Hamilton
- Science Facilitation Department, FHI 360, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Susan H Eshleman
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hepa Susami
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Samsuridjal Djauzi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Do Thi Nhan
- Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - David N Burns
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - William C Miller
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Irving F Hoffman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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11
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Farnum SO, Makarenko I, Madden L, Mazhnaya A, Marcus R, Prokhorova T, Bojko MJ, Rozanova J, Dvoriak S, Islam Z, Altice FL. The real-world impact of dosing of methadone and buprenorphine in retention on opioid agonist therapies in Ukraine. Addiction 2021; 116:83-93. [PMID: 32428276 PMCID: PMC7674222 DOI: 10.1111/add.15115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Ukraine's HIV epidemic remains concentrated among opioid-dependent people who inject drugs (PWID) where opioid agonist therapies (OAT) like methadone (MMT) and buprenorphine (BMT) maintenance treatments are the most cost-effective HIV prevention strategies, but remain under-scaled. This study aimed to measure the association between dose and type of OAT prescribed and treatment retention. DESIGN Observational longitudinal cohort study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Patients (n = 15 290) prescribed OAT throughout Ukraine from 2004 through 2016. MEASUREMENTS Data were analyzed using time-event strategies to estimate cumulative treatment retention, defined as time to OAT discontinuation. Cumulative retention proportions at 1, 12 and 36 months were assessed for outcomes. Cox regression with log-rank likelihood assessed independent predictors of treatment discontinuation. FINDINGS The proportion prescribed high (MMT: > 85 mg; BMT: ≥ 16 mg), medium (MMT: > 40-85 mg; BMT: > 6-15 mg) and low (MMT: ≤ 40 mg; BMT: ≤ 6 mg) dosages was 25, 43 and 32%, respectively. Retention was significantly higher for BMT than MMT both at 12 (89 versus 75%) and 36 months (80 versus 56%). Although dosing levels for BMT did not influence retention, increasing dosages for MMT were significantly associated with higher retention rates at 1 (90, 96, 99%), 12 (59, 78, 91%) and 36 (34, 59, 79%) months, respectively. Independent predictors associated with 12-month OAT discontinuation were medium [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 2.23; 95% confidence limit (CL) = 1.95-2.54] and low (aHR = 4.96; 95% CL = 4.37-5.63) OAT dosage relative to high dosage, male sex (aHR = 1.27; 95% CL = 1.14-1.41), MMT relative to BMT prescription (aHR = 1.57; 95% CL = 1.32-1.87) and receiving OAT in general (aHR = 1.22; 95% CL = 1.02-1.46) or tuberculosis (aHR = 1.43; 95% CL = 1.10-1.85) hospitals, relative to specialty addiction treatment and AIDS center settings. Lower dosages contributed more to dropout especially at 1 month (aHR 3.12; 95% CL = 2.21-4.41 and aHR 7.71; 95% CL = 5.51-10.79 for medium and low dosages, respectively). Younger age was significantly associated with OAT discontinuation only at 36 months (aHR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.02-1.15). CONCLUSIONS Higher dosages of opioid agonist therapies, especially for methadone maintenance treatment patients, appear to be associated with higher levels of treatment retention in Ukraine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lynn Madden
- APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Martha J. Bojko
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Julia Rozanova
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Frederick L. Altice
- APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
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12
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Makarenko I, Pykalo I, Springer SA, Mazhnaya A, Marcus R, Filippovich S, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Treating opioid dependence with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) in Ukraine: Feasibility and three-month outcomes. J Subst Abuse Treat 2019; 104:34-41. [PMID: 31370983 PMCID: PMC8215516 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although opioid agonist treatments (OAT) with methadone or buprenorphine are available to treat opioid use disorders (OUD) in Ukraine, OAT acceptability and coverage remains low. Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) that recently became available as another treatment option provides new opportunities for treating OUDs in this region and we aimed to test its feasibility. METHODS Patients with OUD (N=135) and interested in treatment with XR-NTX were initiated on monthly XR-NTX injections and monitored for three months. Correlates of 3-month retention on XR-NTX and drug use at each time-point using self-reports and urine drug testing (UDT) were assessed. RESULTS Of the 134 participants initiated XR-NTX, 101 (75%) completed three months, defined as 4 consecutive XR-NTX injections. Independent factors negatively associated with retention in XR-NTX treatment included previous maintenance with OAT (aOR=0.3; 95%CI=0.1-0.9) and extrinsic help-seeking treatment motivation (aOR=0.7; 95%CI=0.5-0.9). Of these 101 participants completing three months of treatment, opioid use markedly reduced using self-report (67%% to 22%; p>0.001) and UDT (77% to 24%; p<0.001) outcomes over time. Alcohol, marijuana and stimulant use, however, remained unchanged. Craving for opioids and symptoms of depression also significantly decreased, while health-related quality of life scores improved over time. No adverse side effects were reported during the period of observation. CONCLUSION The first introduction of XR-NTX in Ukraine among persons with OUD resulted in high levels of retention, marked reductions in opioid use and improved quality of life. These descriptive results suggest that XR-NTX treatment is feasible and well-tolerated over a 3-month period in Ukraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliia Makarenko
- ICF Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine; Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Iryna Pykalo
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sandra A Springer
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alyona Mazhnaya
- ICF Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine; Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine; Academy of Labour, Social Relations and Tourism, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
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13
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Morozova O, Booth RE, Dvoriak S, Dumchev K, Sazonova Y, Saliuk T, Crawford FW. Divergent estimates of HIV incidence among people who inject drugs in Ukraine. Int J Drug Policy 2019; 73:156-162. [PMID: 31405731 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Divergent estimates of HIV incidence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Ukraine have been reported in modeling studies, longitudinal cohort studies, and recent infection assays used in cross-sectional surveys. Estimates range from 0.65 to 24.8 infections per 100 person-years with substantial regional variation. In this paper, we study the sources of this discrepancy. METHODS We compared baseline characteristics of study subjects recruited in the cross-sectional integrated bio-behavioral surveillance surveys (IBBS) in 2011 and 2013, with those from the longitudinal network intervention trial (network RCT) conducted between 2010 - 2013, the study that found a remarkably high incidence of HIV among PWID in Ukraine. The analysis was conducted for two cities: Mykolaiv and Odesa. RESULTS Significant differences were found in the characteristics of study subjects recruited in the IBBS surveys and the network RCT, in particular in Odesa, where the mismatch in the estimates of HIV incidence is greatest. In Odesa, recent syringe sharing was about three times as prevalent in the network RCT as in the IBBS; 39% of the network RCT and 16-18% of the IBBS participants indicated stimulants rather than opiates as their drug of choice; 97% of respondents in the network RCT and 45% in the IBBS-2013 reported injecting in a group over half of the time; and the average monthly number of injections in the network RCT was about twice that in the IBBS studies. CONCLUSIONS Differences in study designs and sampling methodologies may be responsible for the substantial differences in HIV incidence estimates among PWID in Ukraine. The potential sources of selection bias differed between the studies and likely resulted in the recruitment of lower risk individuals into the IBBS studies compared to the network RCT. Risk stratification in the population of PWID may have implications for future surveillance and intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Morozova
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Robert E Booth
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver, 13001 East 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Academy of Labour, Social Relations and Tourism, 3-A Kiltseva doroha, Kyiv 03187, Ukraine; Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, 5 Mala Zhytomyrska St., Office 61-А, Kyiv 01001, Ukraine.
| | - Kostyantyn Dumchev
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, 5 Mala Zhytomyrska St., Office 61-А, Kyiv 01001, Ukraine.
| | - Yana Sazonova
- Alliance for Public Health, 5 Dilova St., building 10-A, Kyiv 03150, Ukraine.
| | - Tetiana Saliuk
- Alliance for Public Health, 5 Dilova St., building 10-A, Kyiv 03150, Ukraine.
| | - Forrest W Crawford
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 165 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale School of Management, Yale University, 165 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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14
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LaMonaca K, Dumchev K, Dvoriak S, Azbel L, Morozova O, Altice FL. HIV, Drug Injection, and Harm Reduction Trends in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Implications for International and Domestic Policy. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2019; 21:47. [PMID: 31161306 PMCID: PMC6685549 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-019-1038-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Scaling up evidence-based HIV prevention strategies like opioid agonist therapies (OAT), syringe services programs (SSPs), and antiretroviral therapy (ART) to mitigate the harms of drug injection is crucial within Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), the only region globally where HIV incidence and mortality are increasing. RECENT FINDINGS Though the proportion of new HIV cases directly attributable to drug injection has recently declined, it remains a critical driver of HIV, especially to sexual partners. Concurrently, scale-up of OAT, SSPs, and ART has remained low, contributing to a volatile HIV epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite evidence that drug injection contributes to an evolving HIV epidemic in EECA, coverage of evidence-based harm reduction programs remains substantially below needed targets. Due to a combination of punitive drug laws, ideological resistance to OAT among clinicians and policymakers, and inadequate domestic and international funding, limited progress has been observed in increasing the availability of these programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine LaMonaca
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 135 College Street Suite 323, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Academy of Labour, Social Relations and Tourism, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Lyuba Azbel
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Olga Morozova
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Frederick L. Altice
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 135 College Street Suite 323, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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15
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Lancaster KE, Hoffman IF, Hanscom B, Ha TV, Dumchev K, Susami H, Rose S, Go VF, Reifeis SA, Mollan KR, Hudgens MG, Piwowar‐Manning EM, Richardson P, Dvoriak S, Djoerban Z, Kiriazova T, Zeziulin O, Djauzi S, Ahn CV, Latkin C, Metzger D, Burns DN, Sugarman J, Strathdee SA, Eshleman SH, Clarke W, Donnell D, Emel L, Sunner LE, McKinstry L, Sista N, Hamilton EL, Lucas JP, Duong BD, Van Vuong N, Sarasvita R, Miller WC. Regional differences between people who inject drugs in an HIV prevention trial integrating treatment and prevention (HPTN 074): a baseline analysis. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 21:e25195. [PMID: 30350406 PMCID: PMC6198168 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People who inject drugs (PWID) experience high HIV incidence and face significant barriers to engagement in HIV care and substance use treatment. Strategies for HIV treatment as prevention and substance use treatment present unique challenges in PWID that may vary regionally. Understanding differences in the risk structure for HIV transmission and disease progression among PWID is essential in developing and effectively targeting intervention strategies of HIV treatment as prevention. METHODS We present a baseline analysis of HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 074, a two-arm, randomized controlled trial among PWID in Indonesia (n = 258), Ukraine (n = 457) and Vietnam (n = 439). HPTN 074 was designed to determine the feasibility, barriers and uptake of an integrated intervention combining health systems navigation and psychosocial counselling for the early engagement of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and substance use treatment for PWID living with HIV. Discordant PWID networks were enrolled, consisting of an HIV-positive index and their HIV-negative network injection partner(s). Among the enrolled cohort of 1154 participants (502 index participants and 652 network partners), we examine regional differences in the baseline risk structure, including sociodemographics, HIV and substance use treatment history, and injection and sexual risk behaviours. RESULTS The majority of participants were male (87%), with 82% of the enrolled females coming from Ukraine. The overall mean age was 34 (IQR: 30, 38). Most commonly injected substances included illegally manufactured methadone in Ukraine (84.2%), and heroin in Indonesia (81.8%) and Vietnam (99.5%). Injection network sizes varied by region: median number of people with whom participants self-reported injecting drugs was 3 (IQR: 2, 5) in Indonesia, 5 (IQR: 3, 10) in Ukraine and 3 (IQR: 2, 4) in Vietnam. Hazardous alcohol use, assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Alcohol Consumption Questions (AUDIT-C), was prominent in Ukraine (54.7%) and Vietnam (26.4%). Reported sexual risk behaviours in the past month, including having two or more sex partners and giving/receiving money or drugs in exchange for sex, were uncommon among all participants and regions. CONCLUSIONS While regional differences in risk structure exist, PWID particularly in Ukraine need immediate attention for risk reduction strategies. Substantial regional differences in risk structure will require flexible, tailored treatment as prevention interventions for distinct PWID populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Lancaster
- Division of EpidemiologyCollege of Public HealthThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
| | - Irving F Hoffman
- Division of Infectious DiseasesSchool of MedicineThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | | | - Tran Viet Ha
- Department of Health BehaviorGilings School of Global Public HealthThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | | | - Hepa Susami
- University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo HospitalJakartaIndonesia
| | | | - Vivian F Go
- Department of Health BehaviorGilings School of Global Public HealthThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Sarah A Reifeis
- Department of BiostatisticsGilings School of Global Public HealthThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
- Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)School of MedicineThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Katie R Mollan
- Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)School of MedicineThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Michael G Hudgens
- Department of BiostatisticsGilings School of Global Public HealthThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
- Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)School of MedicineThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNCUSA
| | | | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health PolicyKyivUkraine
- Academy of Labor, Social Relations and TourismKyivUkraine
| | - Zubairi Djoerban
- University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo HospitalJakartaIndonesia
| | | | | | | | | | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and SocietyJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - David Metzger
- Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - David N Burns
- Division of AIDSNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesU.S. National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Jeremy Sugarman
- Department of MedicineBerman Institute of BioethicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Department of MedicineSchool of MedicineUniversity of California San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | | | - William Clarke
- School of MedicineJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bui D Duong
- Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control ‐ Ministry of HealthHanoiVietnam
| | | | | | - William C Miller
- Division of EpidemiologyCollege of Public HealthThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
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16
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Miller WC, Hoffman IF, Hanscom BS, Ha TV, Dumchev K, Djoerban Z, Rose SM, Latkin CA, Metzger DS, Lancaster KE, Go VF, Dvoriak S, Mollan KR, Reifeis SA, Piwowar-Manning EM, Richardson P, Hudgens MG, Hamilton EL, Sugarman J, Eshleman SH, Susami H, Chu VA, Djauzi S, Kiriazova T, Bui DD, Strathdee SA, Burns DN. A scalable, integrated intervention to engage people who inject drugs in HIV care and medication-assisted treatment (HPTN 074): a randomised, controlled phase 3 feasibility and efficacy study. Lancet 2018; 392:747-759. [PMID: 30191830 PMCID: PMC6299325 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31487-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) have a high incidence of HIV, little access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and high mortality. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a future controlled trial based on the incidence of HIV, enrolment, retention, and uptake of the intervention, and the efficacy of an integrated and flexible intervention on ART use, viral suppression, and MAT use. METHODS This randomised, controlled vanguard study was run in Kyiv, Ukraine (one community site), Thai Nguyen, Vietnam (two district health centre sites), and Jakarta, Indonesia (one hospital site). PWID who were HIV infected (index participants) and non-infected injection partners were recruited as PWID network units and were eligible for screening if they were aged 18-45 years (updated to 18-60 years 8 months into study), and active injection drug users. Further eligibility criteria for index participants included a viral load of 1000 copies per mL or higher, willingness and ability to recruit at least one injection partner who would be willing to participate. Index participants were randomly assigned via a computer generated sequence accessed through a secure web portal (3:1) to standard of care or intervention, stratified by site. Masking of assignment was not possible due to the nature of intervention. The intervention comprised systems navigation, psychosocial counselling, and ART at any CD4 count. Local ART and MAT services were used. Participants were followed up for 12-24 months. The primary objective was to assess the feasibility of a future randomised controlled trial. To achieve this aim we looked at the following endpoints: HIV incidence among injection partners in the standard of care group, and enrolment and retention of HIV-infected PWID and their injection partners and the uptake of the integrated intervention. The study was also designed to assess the feasibility, barriers, and uptake of the integrated intervention. Endpoints were assessed in a modified intention-to-treat popualtion after exclusion of ineligible participants. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02935296, and is active but not recruiting new participants. FINDINGS Between Feb 5, 2015, and June 3, 2016, 3343 potential index participants were screened, of whom 502 (15%) were eligible and enrolled. 1171 injection partners were referred, and 806 (69%) were eligible and enrolled. Index participants were randomly assigned to intervention (126 [25%]) and standard of care (376 [75%]) groups. At week 52, most living index participants (389 [86%] of 451) and partners (567 [80%] of 710) were retained, and self-reported ART use was higher among index participants in the intervention group than those in the standard of care group (probability ratio [PR] 1·7, 95% CI 1·4-1·9). Viral suppression was also higher in the intervention group than in the standard of care group (PR 1·7, 95% CI 1·3-2·2). Index participants in the intervention group reported more MAT use at 52 weeks than those in the standard of care group (PR 1·7, 95% CI 1·3-2·2). Seven incident HIV infections occurred, and all in injection partners in the standard of care group (intervention incidence 0·0 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 0·0-1·7; standard of care incidence 1·0 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 0·4-2·1; incidence rate difference -1·0 per 100 person-years, 95% CI -2·1 to 1·1). No severe adverse events due to the intervention were recorded. INTERPRETATION This vanguard study provides evidence that a flexible, scalable intervention increases ART and MAT use and reduces mortality among PWID. The low incidence of HIV in both groups impedes a future randomised, controlled trial, but given the strength of the effect of the intervention, its implementation among HIV-infected PWID should be considered. FUNDING US National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Miller
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Irving F Hoffman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brett S Hanscom
- Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention (SCHARP), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tran V Ha
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Vietnam, Yen Hoa, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Zubairi Djoerban
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Scott M Rose
- Science Facilitation Department, FHI 360, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Carl A Latkin
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - David S Metzger
- HIV Prevention Research Division, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kathryn E Lancaster
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Vivian F Go
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Academy of Labor, Social Relations and Tourism, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Katie R Mollan
- Center for AIDS Research, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah A Reifeis
- Center for AIDS Research, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Estelle M Piwowar-Manning
- Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Paul Richardson
- Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Michael G Hudgens
- Center for AIDS Research, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jeremy Sugarman
- Berman Institute of Bioethics and Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Susan H Eshleman
- Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Hepa Susami
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Viet Anh Chu
- UNC Vietnam, Yen Hoa, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Samsuridjal Djauzi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Duong D Bui
- Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David N Burns
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MA, USA
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Makarenko I, Mazhnaya A, Marcus R, Pykalo I, Madden L, Filippovich S, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Concurrent drug injection during opioid agonist treatment among people who inject drugs in Ukraine. J Subst Abuse Treat 2018; 87:1-8. [PMID: 29471921 PMCID: PMC5826566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2018.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing drug use during opioid agonist treatment (OAT) negatively affects treatment and health outcomes, and increases treatment dropout. This study aimed to examine correlates of concurrent illicit drug use among OAT patients in Ukraine. A random sample of 434 patients currently on OAT receiving buprenorphine (BMT) or methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) from five cities in Ukraine were assessed for factors associated with self-reported concurrent illicit drug use during OAT using a multivariable logistic regression. Among 434 OAT patients, 100 (23%) reported concurrent drug injecting in the previous 30 days; 28% of these were injecting ≥20 days. While 100 (100%) of these injected opioids, 24 (24%) injected stimulants; 40 (40%) met criteria for polysubstance use disorder that included opioids, stimulants and alcohol. Independent correlates of concurrent drug injection included: being on MMT vs. BMT (aOR = 2.8, 95%CI = 1.4-5.8), lower OAT dosage (aOR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.1-2.7), more severe addiction severity (aOR = 2.3, 95%CI = 1.4-3.8), younger age of injection initiation (aOR = 2.3, 95%CI = 1.3-3.9), and presence of alcohol use disorder (aOR = 2.1, 95%CI = 1.3-3.5); participants living with parents were negatively associated with concurrent drug injection. Concurrent drug use was prevalent among OAT patients in Ukraine indicating the urgent needs for tailored interventions and changes in OAT program design and implementation. Results highlight the importance of prescribing an adequate OAT dosage, and discrepancies between MMT and BMT programs in Ukraine addressing needs of OAT patients with specific characteristics such as severe opioid and alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliia Makarenko
- ICF Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine; Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Alyona Mazhnaya
- ICF Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, Ukraine; Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Iryna Pykalo
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Lynn Madden
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA; APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine; Academy of Labor, Social Relations and Tourism, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
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Marcus R, Bojko MJ, Mazhnaya A, Makarenko I, Filippovych S, Dvoriak S, Altice FL, Springer SA. A qualitative assessment of attitudes about and preferences for extended-release naltrexone, a new pharmacotherapy to treat opioid use disorders in Ukraine. J Subst Abuse Treat 2018; 86:86-93. [PMID: 29415856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Numerous individual barriers, including negative attitudes toward opioid agonist therapies (OAT), have undermined HIV prevention efforts in Ukraine where the epidemic is concentrated in people who inject drugs (PWID). The recent availability of extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), an opioid antagonist, provides new opportunities for treatment and prevention, but little is known about patient preferences. We conducted qualitative analysis using focus groups (FG) of PWID recruited based on OAT experience: currently, previously, and never on OAT in five Ukrainian cities. FG included 199 PWID in 25 focus groups. Focus group transcripts were coded and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach to identify common themes and domains related to attitudes about and preferences for XR-NTX, relative to other treatments. Interest in XR-NTX was supported if supervised opioid withdrawal and psychological support were assured. Other factors supporting XR-NTX included a focus on younger PWID early in their injection career and motivated for recovery. Perceptions of recovery included not receiving psychoactive medications like methadone or buprenorphine. With more information, XR-NTX could be a viable option for PWID in Ukraine, especially if concerns regarding withdrawal and psychological support are adequately addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Martha J Bojko
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA; Centre of Excellence on Research in AIDS (CERiA), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sandra A Springer
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
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Rozanova J, Marcus R, Taxman FS, Bojko MJ, Madden L, Farnum SO, Mazhnaya A, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Why People Who Inject Drugs Voluntarily Transition Off Methadone in Ukraine. Qual Health Res 2017; 27:2057-2070. [PMID: 28942704 DOI: 10.1177/1049732317732307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) treats opioid use disorder among people who inject drugs (PWID). To understand why PWID may voluntarily discontinue MMT, we analyzed data from 25 focus groups conducted in five Ukrainian cities from February to April 2013 with 199 participants who were currently, previously, or never on MMT. Using constant comparison method, we uncovered three themes explaining why PWID transition off MMT: (a) purposeful resistance to rigid social control associated with how MMT is delivered and to power asymmetries in provider-patient relationships, (b) self-management of a PWID's "wounded identity" that is common in socially stigmatized and physically sick persons-MMT serves as a reminder of their illness, and (c) the quest for a "normal life" uninterrupted by daily MMT site visits, harassment, and time inefficiencies, resources, and social capital. Focusing on holistic principles of recovery would improve addiction treatment and HIV prevention in Ukraine and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Faye S Taxman
- 2 George Mason University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Lynn Madden
- 1 Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- 4 APT Foundation, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- 6 Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- 1 Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- 4 APT Foundation, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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20
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Marcus R, Makarenko I, Mazhnaya A, Zelenev A, Polonsky M, Madden L, Filippovych S, Dvoriak S, Springer SA, Altice FL. Patient preferences and extended-release naltrexone: A new opportunity to treat opioid use disorders in Ukraine. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017; 179:213-219. [PMID: 28806638 PMCID: PMC5599372 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scaling up HIV prevention for people who inject drugs (PWID) using opioid agonist therapies (OAT) in Ukraine has been restricted by individual and structural factors. Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), however, provides new opportunities for treating opioid use disorders (OUDs) in this region, where both HIV incidence and mortality continue to increase. METHODS Survey results from 1613 randomly selected PWID from 5 regions in Ukraine who were currently, previously or never on OAT were analyzed for their preference of pharmacological therapies for treating OUDs. For those preferring XR-NTX, independent correlates of their willingness to initiate XR-NTX were examined. RESULTS Among the 1613 PWID, 449 (27.8%) were interested in initiating XR-NTX. Independent correlates associated with interest in XR-NTX included: being from Mykolaiv (AOR=3.7, 95% CI=2.3-6.1) or Dnipro (AOR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-2.9); never having been on OAT (AOR=3.4, 95% CI=2.1-5.4); shorter-term injectors (AOR=0.9, 95% CI 0.9-0.98); and inversely for both positive (AOR=0.8, CI=0.8-0.9), and negative attitudes toward OAT (AOR=1.3, CI=1.2-1.4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS In the context of Eastern Europe and Central Asia where HIV is concentrated in PWID and where HIV prevention with OAT is under-scaled, new options for treating OUDs are urgently needed. FINDINGS here suggest that XR-NTX could become an option for addiction treatment and HIV prevention especially for PWID who have shorter duration of injection and who harbor negative attitudes to OAT. Decision aids that inform patient preferences with accurate information about the various treatment options are likely to guide patients toward better, patient-centered treatments and improve treatment entry and retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | | | | | - Alexei Zelenev
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Maxim Polonsky
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sandra A Springer
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven CT, USA; Centre of Excellence on Research in AIDS (CERiA), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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21
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Azbel L, Polonsky M, Wegman M, Shumskaya N, Kurmanalieva A, Asanov A, Wickersham JA, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Intersecting epidemics of HIV, HCV, and syphilis among soon-to-be released prisoners in Kyrgyzstan: Implications for prevention and treatment. Int J Drug Policy 2016; 37:9-20. [PMID: 27455177 PMCID: PMC5124506 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central Asia is afflicted with increasing HIV incidence, low antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage and increasing AIDS mortality, driven primarily by people who inject drugs (PWID). Reliable data about HIV, other infectious diseases, and substance use disorders in prisoners in this region is lacking and could provide important insights into how to improve HIV prevention and treatment efforts in the region. METHODS A randomly sampled, nationwide biobehavioural health survey was conducted in 8 prisons in Kyrgyzstan among all soon-to-be-released prisoners; women were oversampled. Consented participants underwent computer-assisted, standardized behavioural health assessment surveys and testing for HIV, HCV, HBV, and syphilis. Prevalence and means were computed, and generalized linear modelling was conducted, with all analyses using weights to account for disproportionate sampling by strata. RESULTS Among 381 prisoners who underwent consent procedures, 368 (96.6%) were enrolled in the study. Women were significantly older than men (40.6 vs. 36.5; p=0.004). Weighted prevalence (%), with confidence interval (CI), for each infection was high: HCV (49.7%; CI: 44.8-54.6%), syphilis (19.2%; CI: 15.1-23.5%), HIV (10.3%; CI: 6.9-13.8%), and HBV (6.2%; CI: 3.6-8.9%). Among the 31 people with HIV, 46.5% were aware of being HIV-infected. Men, compared to women, were significantly more likely to have injected drugs (38.3% vs.16.0%; p=0.001). Pre-incarceration and within-prison drug injection, primarily of opioids, was 35.4% and 30.8%, respectively. Independent correlates of HIV infection included lifetime drug injection (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=38.75; p=0.001), mean number of years injecting (AOR=0.93; p=0.018), mean number of days experiencing drug problems (AOR=1.09; p=0.025), increasing duration of imprisonment (AOR=1.08; p=0.02 for each year) and having syphilis (AOR=3.51; p=0.003), while being female (AOR=3.06; p=0.004) and being a recidivist offender (AOR=2.67; p=0.008) were independently correlated with syphilis infection. CONCLUSION Drug injection, syphilis co-infection, and exposure to increased risk during incarceration are likely to be important contributors to HIV transmission among prisoners in Kyrgyzstan. Compared to the community, HIV is concentrated 34-fold higher in prisoners. A high proportion of undiagnosed syphilis and HIV infections presents a significant gap in the HIV care continuum. Findings highlight the critical importance of evidence-based responses within prison, including enhanced testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, to stem the evolving HIV epidemic in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuba Azbel
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Maxim Polonsky
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Martin Wegman
- University of Florida, Departments of Epidemiology and of Health Outcomes and Policy, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Natalya Shumskaya
- AIDS Foundation East-West in the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | | | - Akylbek Asanov
- Department for Medical and Sanitary Services of the State Service on Penalty Execution, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Jeffrey A Wickersham
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA; Centre of Excellence of Research in AIDS (CERiA), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA; Centre of Excellence of Research in AIDS (CERiA), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA.
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22
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Altice FL, Azbel L, Stone J, Brooks-Pollock E, Smyrnov P, Dvoriak S, Taxman FS, El-Bassel N, Martin NK, Booth R, Stöver H, Dolan K, Vickerman P. The perfect storm: incarceration and the high-risk environment perpetuating transmission of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Lancet 2016; 388:1228-48. [PMID: 27427455 PMCID: PMC5087988 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)30856-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite global reductions in HIV incidence and mortality, the 15 UNAIDS-designated countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) that gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 constitute the only region where both continue to rise. HIV transmission in EECA is fuelled primarily by injection of opioids, with harsh criminalisation of drug use that has resulted in extraordinarily high levels of incarceration. Consequently, people who inject drugs, including those with HIV, hepatitis C virus, and tuberculosis, are concentrated within prisons. Evidence-based primary and secondary prevention of HIV using opioid agonist therapies such as methadone and buprenorphine is available in prisons in only a handful of EECA countries (methadone or buprenorphine in five countries and needle and syringe programmes in three countries), with none of them meeting recommended coverage levels. Similarly, antiretroviral therapy coverage, especially among people who inject drugs, is markedly under-scaled. Russia completely bans opioid agonist therapies and does not support needle and syringe programmes-with neither available in prisons-despite the country's high incarceration rate and having the largest burden of people with HIV who inject drugs in the region. Mathematical modelling for Ukraine suggests that high levels of incarceration in EECA countries facilitate HIV transmission among people who inject drugs, with 28-55% of all new HIV infections over the next 15 years predicted to be attributable to heightened HIV transmission risk among currently or previously incarcerated people who inject drugs. Scaling up of opioid agonist therapies within prisons and maintaining treatment after release would yield the greatest HIV transmission reduction in people who inject drugs. Additional analyses also suggest that at least 6% of all incident tuberculosis cases, and 75% of incident tuberculosis cases in people who inject drugs are due to incarceration. Interventions that reduce incarceration itself and effectively intervene with prisoners to screen, diagnose, and treat addiction and HIV, hepatitis C virus, and tuberculosis are urgently needed to stem the multiple overlapping epidemics concentrated in prisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick L Altice
- School of Medicine and School Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Lyuba Azbel
- Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jack Stone
- School of Social and Community Medicine, Bristol University, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Pavlo Smyrnov
- ICF International Alliance for Public Health, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Faye S Taxman
- Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | | | - Natasha K Martin
- School of Social and Community Medicine, Bristol University, Bristol, UK; Division of Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Robert Booth
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Heino Stöver
- Institute of Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kate Dolan
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter Vickerman
- School of Social and Community Medicine, Bristol University, Bristol, UK
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Bojko MJ, Mazhnaya A, Makarenko I, Marcus R, Dvoriak S, Islam Z, Altice FL. "Bureaucracy & Beliefs": Assessing the Barriers to Accessing Opioid Substitution Therapy by People Who Inject Drugs in Ukraine. Drugs (Abingdon Engl) 2015; 22:255-262. [PMID: 27087758 DOI: 10.3109/09687637.2015.1016397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Opioid substitution therapy (OST) is an evidence-based HIV prevention strategy for people who inject drugs (PWIDs). Yet, only 2.7% of Ukraine's estimated 310,000 PWIDs receive it despite free treatment since 2004. The multi-level barriers to entering OST among opioid dependent PWIDs have not been examined in Ukraine. METHODS A multi-year mixed methods implementation science project included focus group discussions with 199 PWIDs in 5 major Ukrainian cities in 2013 covering drug treatment attitudes and beliefs and knowledge of and experiences with OST. Data were transcribed, translated into English and coded. Coded segments related to OST access, entry, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes were analyzed among 41 PWIDs who were eligible for but had never received OST. FINDINGS A number of programmatic and structural barriers were mentioned by participants as barriers to entry to OST, including compulsory drug user registration, waiting lists, and limited number of treatment slots. Participants also voiced strong negative attitudes and beliefs about OST, especially methadone. Their perceptions about methadone's side effects as well as the stigma of being a methadone client were expressed as obstacles to treatment. CONCLUSIONS Despite expressed interest in treatment, Ukrainian OST-naïve PWIDs evade OST for reasons that can be addressed through changes in program-level and governmental policies and social-marketing campaigns. Voiced OST barriers can effectively inform public health and policy directives related to HIV prevention and treatment in Ukraine to improve evidence-based treatment access and availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha J Bojko
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alyona Mazhnaya
- ICF International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Ruthanne Marcus
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute for Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Zahedul Islam
- ICF International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Dvoriak S, Karachevsky A, Chhatre S, Booth R, Metzger D, Schumacher J, Chychula N, Pecoraro A, Woody G. Methadone maintenance for HIV positive and HIV negative patients in Kyiv: acceptability and treatment response. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 137:62-7. [PMID: 24548802 PMCID: PMC3985084 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With up to 40% of opioid injectors infected with HIV, Ukraine has one of the most concentrated HIV epidemics in the world, mainly due to unsterile injection practices and a historical absence of effective prevention services. Harm reduction programs, including syringe exchange and a small buprenorphine treatment program, were introduced in 2004 and methadone maintenance was allowed in 2007. Despite an initial expansion, by 2009, only 3221 injectors were receiving methadone treatment. A growing body of research on methadone maintenance has found high retention rates with reduction in opioid use and HIV risk behaviors. We report on the acceptability and initial outcome of methadone treatment as a function of HIV status, an issue that has not yet been reported for injectors in Ukraine. METHODS Longitudinal observational study of a 12-week course of methadone treatment in 25 HIV+ and 25 HIV- opioid addicted individuals recruited from a harm reduction program and the city AIDS Center. Drug use and HIV risk were assessed at baseline and weeks 4, 8, 12 and 20; all patients were offered continued methadone maintenance in the Kyiv city program at the end of 12 weeks. RESULTS Fifty-four individuals were asked if they were interested in the study and 50, demographically similar to other samples of opioid addicted Ukrainians, agreed to participate. Two died of non-study related causes; the other 48 completed assessments at weeks 4, 8 and 12, and 47 completed followups at week 20. Significant reductions were seen in use of heroin (p<0.0001), other opiates/analgesics (p<0.0001), and HIV risk behaviors (drug, sex, total; all p<0.0001). All 48 patients chose to continue methadone after the 12-weeks of study medication ended. Unlike most opioid treatment studies, sexual risk was somewhat higher than injecting risk at study intake. CONCLUSIONS Methadone maintenance was well accepted by HIV+ and HIV- opioid dependent individuals and has the potential for significant public health impact if made more widely available with sustained access and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergii Dvoriak
- Director, Ukrainian Institute of Public Health Policy, 4 Malopidvalna Str. Of. 6 Kyiv 01001 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Andrey Karachevsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Drug Abuse, O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University 34, Peremogy Avenue, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01601
| | - Sumedha Chhatre
- Treatment Research Institute, Suite 600, 150 South Independence Mall (W), Philadelphia, PA 19106
| | - Robert Booth
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, 1741 Vine Street, Denver, CO 80206
| | - David Metzger
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Treatment Research Institute, Suite 600, 150 South Independence Mall (W), Philadelphia, PA 19106
| | - Joseph Schumacher
- School of Medicine, University of Alabama, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL
| | - Nina Chychula
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 39th & Woodland Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Anna Pecoraro
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Treatment Research Institute, Suite 600, 150 South Independence Mall (W), Philadelphia, PA 19106
| | - George Woody
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Treatment Research Institute, Suite 600, 150 South Independence Mall (W), Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States.
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25
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Pecoraro A, Mimiaga MJ, O'Cleirigh C, Safren SA, Blokhina E, Verbitskaya E, Krupitsky E, Dvoriak S, Woody G. Lost-to-care and engaged-in-care HIV patients in Leningrad Oblast, Russian Federation: barriers and facilitators to medical visit retention. AIDS Care 2014; 26:1249-57. [PMID: 24666174 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2014.897910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Sixty-nine percent of the 1.5 million Eastern Europeans and Central Asians with HIV live in the Russian Federation. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective but cannot help those who leave treatment. Focus groups with patients who dropped out of ART for ≥12 months (lost-to-care, LTCs, n = 21) or continued for ≥12 months (engaged-in-care; EICs; n = 24) were conducted in St. Petersburg. Structural barriers included stigma/discrimination and problems with providers and accessing treatment. Individual barriers included employment and caring for dependents, inaccurate beliefs about ART (LTC only), side-effects, substance use (LTCs, present; EICs, past), and depression. Desire to live, social support, and spirituality were facilitators for both; EICs also identified positive thinking and experiences with ART and healthcare/professionals. Interventions to facilitate retention and adherence are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pecoraro
- a Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , PA , USA
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Izenberg JM, Bachireddy C, Wickersham JA, Soule M, Kiriazova T, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Within-prison drug injection among HIV-infected Ukrainian prisoners: prevalence and correlates of an extremely high-risk behaviour. Int J Drug Policy 2014; 25:845-52. [PMID: 24951025 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Ukraine, HIV-infection, injection drug use, and incarceration are syndemic; however, few services are available to incarcerated people who inject drugs (PWIDs). While data are limited internationally, within-prison drug injection (WP-DI) appears widespread and may pose significant challenges in countries like Ukraine, where PWIDs contribute heavily to HIV incidence. To date, WP-DI has not been specifically examined among HIV-infected prisoners, the only persons that can transmit HIV. METHODS A convenience sample of 97 HIV-infected adults recently released from prison within 1-12 months was recruited in two major Ukrainian cities. Post-release surveys inquired about WP-DI and injection equipment sharing, as well as current and prior drug use and injection, mental health, and access to within-prison treatment for HIV and other comorbidities. Logistic regression identified independent correlates of WP-DI. RESULTS Complete data for WP-DI were available for 95 (97.9%) respondents. Overall, 54 (56.8%) reported WP-DI, among whom 40 (74.1%) shared injecting equipment with a mean of 4.4 (range 0-30) other injectors per needle/syringe. Independent correlates of WP-DI were recruitment in Kyiv (AOR 7.46, p=0.003), male gender (AOR 22.07, p=0.006), and active pre-incarceration opioid use (AOR 8.66, p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS Among these recently released HIV-infected prisoners, WP-DI and injection equipment sharing were frequent and involved many injecting partners per needle/syringe. The overwhelming majority of respondents reporting WP-DI used opioids both before and after incarceration, suggesting that implementation of evidence-based harm reduction practices, such as opioid substitution therapy and/or needle/syringe exchange programmes within prison, is crucial to addressing continuing HIV transmission among PWIDs within prison settings. The positive correlation between Kyiv site and WP-DI suggests that additional structural interventions may be useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Izenberg
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chethan Bachireddy
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Wickersham
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Soule
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tetiana Kiriazova
- Future Without AIDS Foundation, Odessa, Ukraine; Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sergii Dvoriak
- Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, USA.
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