Date of Award

January 2014

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Robert Heimer

Abstract

This study examined the accuracy of self-reported HIV-positive status as an indicator of entering HIV/AIDS treatment and determined the characteristics and correlates of receiving regular HIV/AIDS care among people who inject drugs (PWID). Data were collected through 1,412 personal interviews conducted in the cities of St. Petersburg, Russia and Kohtla-Järve, Estonia in 2012 and 2013. Overall, in both cities, 81.3% of PWID were accurately aware of their HIV-positive serostatus; in comparison to individual level correlates, structural and service utilization variables such as history of substance abuse treatment and history of incarceration were better determinants of accurate knowledge of HIV serostatus. We found that 32% of PWID in St. Petersburg and 73% of PWID in Kohtla-Järve who were aware of their HIV-positive serostatus had received regular HIV/AIDS care in the past year. Results of this study suggest that awareness of serostatus alone in this region does not necessarily translate into receiving HIV/AIDS care and that there is an urgent need for enhancing access to HIV/AIDS care and treatment among this marginalized population.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

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