Injecting Drug Use and HIV in Moscow: Results of a Survey

Abstract

Russia has experienced a large increase in injecting drug use since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Injecting drug use is presently attributed with up to 90 perccent of newly acquired HIV. Peer educators of an outreach program conducted a survey of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Moscow. The survey was supplemented by qualitative field notes. Due to differences in settings and methods, the hospital and street survey results are presented separately. A total of 298 hospital and 126 street surveys were collected. Results showed that IDUs are young (average 20 years), and the majority were studying or working. Needles were rated as easy to get, although police pressure often deters carrying a syringe. Sharing needles was common; IDUs that used only heroin were significantly less likely to share (RR 0.38 to 0.56). IDUs that had spoken to a peer educator were also less likely to share (RR 0.55). Heroin users had lower rates of hepatitis. Self-assessed HIV risk was unclear for many IDUs. HIV prevalence was 3 percent.