EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HIV-INFECTED DRUG USERS AT THE STAGE OF BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE OPIOID SUBSTITUTION THERAPY PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF MINSK

Objectives. To identify the medico-social and epidemiological peculiarities of HIV-infected people injecting drugs (PWID) at the stage of joining the opioid substitution therapy (OST) program, who adopted it in 2019 in the city of Minsk. Material and methods. The data of the primary accounting documentation of the Health Care Institution «City Clinical Narcological Dispensary» and the Health Care Institution «City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital» of PWID HIV-infected patients were analyzed on joining the opioid substitution therapy program who adopted it in 2019 in the city of Minsk (n=91). Results. It has been found that the largest proportion of the OST program participants constituted males (73.63%) aged 36 years and older (73.62%); 64.84% of them were convicted more than 3 times, 83.52% were not officially married, 64.84% were officially unemployed. The median experience of using opioid drugs made up 21 (19-24) years. Almost ½ (46.15%) of HIV-infected drug users were members of OST program for 3 (1-5) years in 2019. Most of the OST program participants (83.52%) had up to 3 periods without drug use, while in 54.95% of them these breaks were due to serving a sentence, and in 21.98% because of undergoing rehabilitation. Lifestyle changes and socialization in society were authentically the most significant reasons and motives for the participation of PWID HIV-infected persons in the OST program in Minsk (p<0.05). The analysis of the comorbidity rate showed that all the participants in the studied group were infected with viral hepatitis C, 6.59% - with hepatitis B against the background of hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 1.01% - with hepatitis D. Conclusions. The revealed medical, social and epidemiological features of HIV-infected PWID persons at the stage of joining the opioid substitution therapy program will make it possible to increase the efficiency of providing medical care to opioid drug users with HIV infection and parenteral viral hepatites and extend the coverage of the studied contingent by this program.