NCT01690442

HIV Prevention for Injecting Drug Users in Kazakhstan

Couples Based HIV/STI Prevention for Injecting Drug Users in Kazakhstan

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 600 (actual)
• Sponsor: Columbia University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The proposed study addresses a significant public health threat of HIV, HCV and other STIs among a very high risk population of active IDUs and their sexual partners in Kazakhstan a region that is experiencing one of the fastest rising HIV epidemics in the world. There is a race to develop and implement effective HIV preventive interventions for IDUs and their sexual partners to stem the spread of HIV, HCV and other STIs in Almaty, Shu and other Central Asian towns along drug trafficking routes. The proposed study will test the effectiveness of a couplesbased HIV/STI risk reduction intervention to decrease new cases of HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as to reduce unsafe injection practices and increase condom use among injecting drug users (IDUs) and their heterosexual, intimate partners in Kazakhstan.

Detailed description

The proposed study will rigorously test the efficacy of an innovative, couplesbased HIV/STI risk reduction intervention to decrease new cases of HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as to reduce unsafe injection practices and increase condom use among injecting drug users (IDUs) and their heterosexual intimate partners in Kazakhstan. Central Asia has experienced one of the fastest growing HIV/AIDS epidemics due to a sharp increase in injection drug use. For the proposed study, the participants will be 400 IDUs and their heterosexual intimate partners. These 400 couples will be randomized to one of two interventions: a 5session couplesbased HIV/STI risk reduction intervention or a 5session couplesbased wellness promotion intervention, which will serve as a control condition. Participants will be assessed with repeated measures at baseline, 3, 6, and 12months postintervention. The primary behavioral outcomes are selfreported proportion of injection acts in which needles or syringes are shared in the past 90 days and proportion of condom protected acts of sexual intercourse in the past 90 days. The primary biological outcomes are the rate of new HIV and HCV cases, and the cumulative incidence of Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis over the 12month postintervention period. The proposed study will advance the understanding of HIV/HCV/STI risk reduction among IDUs and thereby may help to stem the rising epidemic of HIV, HCV, and STIs in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Conditions

• HIV
• AIDS

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Couples Based HIV/STI Risk Reduction Intervention (CHSR)	The intervention includes a combination of empowerment and couple self-efficacy building strategies, which are employed to help couples overcome resistance to risk reduction.
BEHAVIORAL	Renaissance Wellness Promotion (WP)	This intervention employs a psychoeducational approach to promote wellness, focusing on: maintaining a healthy diet on a low budget, exercising and fitness, stress reducing strategies and specific health related issues that affect IDUs, such as overdose.

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-05-01
• Primary completion: 2012-11-01
• Completion: 2012-11-01
• First posted: 2012-09-21
• Last updated: 2014-02-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Kazakhstan