Relying on injection drug users to prevent HIV in Ukraine - follow-up results of peer-driven interventions

Efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis among injection drug users (IDUs) by improving access to sterile syringes can raise questions about syringe disposal. This study sought to evaluate the acceptability and utility of the Voyager, a newly approved, hand-held syringe disposal device for active injection drug users (IDUs). We offered the Voyager to active IDUs (n = 97), and interviewed them upon receiving the device and one month later. Almost all (90%) accepted the device. At follow-up, 78% had used the Voyager and 44% reported using it all the time; 65% reported they would like to continue using the Voyager and 77% rated the device “somewhat better” or “much better” than other methods of syringe disposal. Many IDUs care about safe syringe disposal and are willing and able to use a convenient disposal device such as the Voyager. Communities concerned about needlestick injuries and re-use of contaminated syringes should explore increasing the availability of such a device for IDUs as part of an overall approach to prevent improperly discarded syringes.

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Utilization of HIV/AIDS treatment services: comparing injecting drug users and other clients

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2006000400019 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 803-813 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Angelita Cristine de Melo ◽

Waleska Teixeira Caiaffa ◽

Cibele Comini César ◽

Ricardo Vieira Dantas ◽

Bernard François Couttolenc

Keyword(s):

Viral Load ◽

Healthcare Utilization ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Treatment Services ◽

Differential Outcomes ◽

Cd4 Lymphocyte ◽

Hiv Aids

This study compared healthcare utilization by injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs. Data were abstracted from patients' medical records, admitted on HIV/AIDS treatment centers, between 1986 and 2002, forming a non-concurrent cohort study. Variables included: sociodemographics, HIV/AIDS exposure group, healthcare utilization (consultations, procedures, and prescriptions). Descriptive analyses included age-period and cohort effects. Out of 170 patients, with an average age of 30 years, 39.4% were IDUs, 71.8% were males and had low levels of education. At the first consultation, 86.5% neither received an ARV prescription nor had a request for CD4 or viral load. Injection drug users, as compared to non-IDUs, were less likely to receive ARV prescriptions and requests for CD4 lymphocyte and viral load counts, even though the number of consultations did not differ between the two groups. Healthcare utilization increased in calendar-year in the non-IDUs group, parallel to the implementation of the Brazilian health policy of universal care. However, this favorable trend was not observed among IDUs. Differential outcomes for HIV/AIDS among IDUs, towards worse prognosis, suggest difficulties in terms of adherence and follow-up of ARV therapy in this population.

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HIV Incidence and Factors Contributed to Retention in a 12-Month Follow-up Study of Injection Drug Users in Sichuan Province, China

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes ◽

10.1097/01.qai.0000152398.47025.0f ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 459-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Yuhua Ruan ◽

Guangming Qin ◽

Shizhu Liu ◽

Hanzhu Qian ◽

Li Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Sichuan Province ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Hiv Incidence ◽

Follow Up Study

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Risk factors and cumulative incidence of anaemia among HIV-infected injection drug users

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1258/0956462021924758 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 119-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Richard D Semba ◽

Nina Shah ◽

David Vlahov

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cumulative Incidence ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Female Gender ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Cd4 Lymphocyte Count ◽

Increase Odds Ratio ◽

Cd4 Lymphocyte

Risk factors for anaemia and cumulative incidence of anaemia were examined in a longitudinal cohort study of 622 injection drug users (IDUs) (8885 visits) in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1988 to 2000. At enrolment, 19.6% subjects were anaemic (16.1% of men and 30.5% of women, P<0.0001) and 8.4% had microcytic anaemia (6.7% of men and 14.0% of women, P=0.006). Cumulative incidence of anaemia was 82.2% (87.9% of men and 100% of women, P<0.0001) during a median of 7.5 years follow-up. Factors associated with anaemia included age (per 5 year increase, odds ratio (OR)=1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.36), female gender (OR=1.62; 95% CI: 1.16, 2.27), CD4+ lymphocyte count <200 cells/ µl (OR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.52, 2.24), weight loss (OR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.26, 1.91), oral thrush (OR 1.53; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.94), Mycobacterium avium complex infection (OR 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.64), and zidovudine use (OR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.48). Higher body mass index (OR 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88, 0.95) and marijuana use (OR 0.75; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.92) were associated with a lower risk of anaemia. The cumulative incidence of anaemia is high among IDUs, and women are at highest risk of anaemia.

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The Validity of Injection Drug Users Self-Reported Use of Opiates and Cocaine

Journal of Drug Issues ◽

10.1177/002204269202200402 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 823-832 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Russel Falck ◽

Harvey A. Siegal ◽

Mary Ann Forney ◽

Jichuan Wang ◽

Robert G. Carlson

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Prevention Research ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Logit Regression ◽

Drug Of Choice ◽

Primary Drug

In a study examining the correspondence between self-reported drug use and drug urinalysis, 128 injection drug users (IDUs), who were subjects in an AIDS prevention research project, were asked to provide urine samples, which would be tested for the presence of the metabolites of opiates and cocaine. Ninety-five IDUs provided samples for testing. Of these, twenty IDUs (21.1%) who reported abstinence from opiates and cocaine for the six months prior to the completion of a follow-up questionnaire had their claims contradicted by urinalysis results. Logit regression analyses revealed that IDUs whose primary drug of choice was both crack and injected cocaine and those who were black were significantly more likely to have misrepresented their current drug use status than other groups. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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