Changes in HIV prevalence and risk among new injecting drug users in a Russian city of high HIV prevalence.

Objective: To measure HIV prevalence and associated risk factors among recent initiates into drug injecting in 2001 and 2004 in Togliatti City, Russian Federation.

Design: Two unlinked, anonymous, cross-sectional, community-recruited surveys of injecting drug users (IDUs) with oral fluid samples for anti-HIV testing.

Methods: IDUs completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and oral fluid samples were tested for antibodies to HIV.

Street policing, injecting drug use and harm reduction in a Russian city: a qualitative study of police perspectives.

We undertook a qualitative exploration of police perspectives on injecting drug use and needle and syringe access among injecting drug users (IDUs) in a Russian city which has witnessed explosive spread of HIV associated with drug injecting. Twenty-seven in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in May 2002 with police officers of varying rank who reported having regular contact with IDUs. All interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, translated and coded thematically.

Hepatitis C virus infection, HIV co-infection, and associated risk among injecting drug users in Togliatti, Russia.

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and co-infection with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Togliatti City, Russia. Unlinked anonymous cross-sectional survey of IDUs recruited from community settings, with oral fluid sample collection for HCV and HIV antibody (anti-HCV, anti-HIV) testing, was carried out. The anti-HCV prevalence was 87% (357/411), anti-HIV prevalence 56% (234/418), and 93% (214/230) of HIV-positive IDUs were co-infected with HCV.

Impact of gender and sex work on sexual and injecting risk behaviors and their association with HIV positivity among injecting drug users in an HIV epidemic in Togliatti City, Russian Federation.

Objectives: Togliatti City is witness to a large epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated with injecting drug use (IDU).

Goal: This study sought to examine whether risk behaviors and risk factors associated with HIV differed across a sample IDUs by gender and sex work.

Study: A sample of IDU (n = 423) comprising female sex workers (SWs) (n = 66), non-sex workers (nonSWs) (n = 89) and men (n = 268) were recruited by field workers in community settings.

The prevalence of injecting drug use in a Russian city: implications for harm reduction and coverage.

Aim: This study sought to estimate the prevalence of injecting drug users (IDU) in Togliatti city and to examine the implications of these estimates for HIV prevalence and harm reduction.

Design: Routine data sources of IDUs were identified. Covariate capture-recapture techniques were used on the individuals identified on the three data sources and used to estimate the number of IDU 'not observed' by the data sources, and thereby estimate the prevalence of IDU.

Injecting equipment sharing among injecting drug users in Togliatti City, Russian Federation: maximizing the protective effects of syringe distribution.

Objective: To compare risk factors for injecting equipment sharing among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Togliatti City, Russia.

Design: Unlinked, anonymous, cross-sectional community-recruited survey with oral fluid sample collection.

Methods: Between September and October 2001, 426 IDUs completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire and oral fluid samples were tested for HIV.

Situational factors influencing drug injecting, risk reduction and syringe exchange in Togliatti City, Russian Federation: a qualitative study of micro risk environment.

We undertook a qualitative study to explore the micro-environment of drug injecting, risk reduction and syringe exchange practices among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Togliatti City, Russia. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=57) were undertaken with current IDUs in May 2001. Findings highlight a recent transition away from hanka (a home-produced liquid opiate derived from opium poppy) towards the injection of heroin powder, and a drug use culture in which injecting predominates.

Explosive spread and high prevalence of HIV infection among injecting drug users in Togliatti City, Russia.

Objective: To establish the prevalence of antibodies to HIV (anti-HIV) and associated risk factors among injecting drug users (IDU) in Togliatti City, Samara Oblast, Russian Federation.

Design: An unlinked anonymous cross-sectional community recruited survey with oral fluid sample collection.

Methods: Between September and October 2001, 426 IDU were recruited by trained fieldworkers.