2021
Methadone within prison and linkage to and retention in treatment upon community release for people with opioid use disorder in Kyrgyzstan: Evaluation of a national program
Bachireddy C, Shrestha R, Bromberg DJ, Azbel L, Kurmanalieva A, Wegman M, Shumskaya N, Rozanova J, Meyer JP, Altice FL. Methadone within prison and linkage to and retention in treatment upon community release for people with opioid use disorder in Kyrgyzstan: Evaluation of a national program. International Journal Of Drug Policy 2021, 101: 103558. PMID: 34915426, PMCID: PMC9998103, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103558.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHIV statusMean treatment durationOpioid use disorderPositive HIV statusDuration of treatmentMethadone doseHIV incidenceMethadone servicesMethadone treatmentIndependent correlatesHIV preventionUse disordersTreatment durationMethadoneNational programTreatmentHIVAdministrative dataCommunity releaseMonthsKyrgyz prisonsFirst evaluationIncarcerated peopleDurationReleaseDecisional considerations for methadone uptake in Kyrgyz prisons: The importance of understanding context and providing accurate information
Liberman AR, Bromberg DJ, Azbel L, Rozanova J, Madden L, Meyer JP, Altice FL. Decisional considerations for methadone uptake in Kyrgyz prisons: The importance of understanding context and providing accurate information. International Journal Of Drug Policy 2021, 94: 103209. PMID: 33838398, PMCID: PMC8373625, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103209.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKyrgyz prisonsInformal governance systemSecondary thematic analysisMethadone uptakePrison governanceGovernance systemPrison economyPrison administrationQualitative interviewsInterrelated themesSocial risksPrison contextEastern EuropePrisonCentral AsiaKyrgyz RepublicUnderstanding contextThematic analysisDecisional considerationsContent analysisMethadone treatmentRespondents' perceptionsHIV preventionMethadone utilizationInterviews
2019
Evaluation of HIV risk and outcomes in a nationally representative sample of incarcerated women in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine
Ranjit YS, Azbel L, Krishnan A, Altice FL, Meyer JP. Evaluation of HIV risk and outcomes in a nationally representative sample of incarcerated women in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. AIDS Care 2019, 31: 793-797. PMID: 30701981, PMCID: PMC6510603, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1573969.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAntiretroviral Therapy, Highly ActiveAzerbaijanCommunicable DiseasesComorbidityContinuity of Patient CareFemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHepatitis CHIV InfectionsHumansKyrgyzstanMaleMental DisordersMiddle AgedPrevalencePrisonersPrisonsSubstance-Related DisordersSurveys and QuestionnairesSyphilisUkraineConceptsAlcohol use disorderAntiretroviral therapyHIV preventionHIV riskHIV care continuumCells/μLHigh-risk groupComorbid substance useEffective HIV preventionGlobal HIV preventionHigh rateHepatitis CIncarcerated womenHIV testingHIV incidenceHIV prevalencePsychiatric comorbidityDrug injectionRepresentative sampleCare continuumRisk groupsPsychiatric disordersMost womenUse disordersTreatment interventions
2018
Drug injection within prison in Kyrgyzstan: elevated HIV risk and implications for scaling up opioid agonist treatments
Azbel L, Wegman MP, Polonsky M, Bachireddy C, Meyer J, Shumskaya N, Kurmanalieva A, Dvoryak S, Altice FL. Drug injection within prison in Kyrgyzstan: elevated HIV risk and implications for scaling up opioid agonist treatments. International Journal Of Prison Health 2018, 14: 175-187. PMID: 30274558, PMCID: PMC6447033, DOI: 10.1108/ijph-03-2017-0016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMethadone maintenance treatmentNeedle syringe programsDrug injectionDrug injectorsHigh HIV risk behaviorElevated HIV riskPrison drug injectionHepatitis C infectionOpioid agonist treatmentHIV risk behaviorsC infectionHIV incidenceAgonist treatmentMaintenance treatmentIndependent correlatesBiobehavioral surveysHIV riskOnly examinationRisk behaviorsMMT useLow uptakeCurrent incarcerationInjectionLogit linkHigh-risk environmentsPerceptions of Health-Related Community Reentry Challenges among Incarcerated Drug Users in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine
Rozanova J, Morozova O, Azbel L, Bachireddy C, Izenberg JM, Kiriazova T, Dvoryak S, Altice FL. Perceptions of Health-Related Community Reentry Challenges among Incarcerated Drug Users in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Journal Of Urban Health 2018, 95: 508-522. PMID: 29728898, PMCID: PMC6095752, DOI: 10.1007/s11524-018-0256-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid agonist treatmentSubstance use disordersUse disordersMethadone treatmentDrug usersPoor general healthGeneral health conditionPerception of healthAgonist treatmentDrug injectionGeneral healthHigh prevalenceHealth needsHealth-related tasksLogistic regressionMethadoneHealth conditionsPre-release planningDisordersTreatmentPublic healthTotal samplePrison settingDrugsHealth
2017
A qualitative assessment of an abstinence-oriented therapeutic community for prisoners with substance use disorders in Kyrgyzstan
Azbel L, Rozanova J, Michels I, Altice FL, Stöver H. A qualitative assessment of an abstinence-oriented therapeutic community for prisoners with substance use disorders in Kyrgyzstan. Harm Reduction Journal 2017, 14: 43. PMID: 28693573, PMCID: PMC5504733, DOI: 10.1186/s12954-017-0168-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUse disordersDrug useMethadone maintenance therapy programInjection drug useOpioid use disorderTherapeutic communitySubstance use disordersAddiction treatment outcomesCommunity staff membersLack of evidenceMethadone patientsTreatment optionsTreatment outcomesFuture treatmentTherapy programEvidence baseConvenience samplePatientsHigh rateLack of servicesPost-release programsPolicy documentsDisordersResultsOur analysisParticipant observation
2016
Pre‐incarceration police harassment, drug addiction and HIV risk behaviours among prisoners in Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan: results from a nationally representative cross‐sectional study
Polonsky M, Azbel L, Wegman MP, Izenberg JM, Bachireddy C, Wickersham JA, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Pre‐incarceration police harassment, drug addiction and HIV risk behaviours among prisoners in Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan: results from a nationally representative cross‐sectional study. Journal Of The International AIDS Society 2016, 19: 20880. PMID: 27435715, PMCID: PMC4951538, DOI: 10.7448/ias.19.4.20880.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRepresentative cross-sectional studyHIV risk behaviorsCross-sectional studyHIV riskAddiction severityRisk behaviorsHIV risk-taking behaviorsPrison drug injectionDrug addiction severityHealth assessment surveyHIV transmissionPotential confoundersDrug injectionHIV epidemicDrug usersHigher addiction severityDrug useBivariate testingThird of prisonersDrug addictionSeverityPWIDEpidemic responseRiskStrongest correlateIntersecting epidemics of HIV, HCV, and syphilis among soon-to-be released prisoners in Kyrgyzstan: Implications for prevention and treatment
Azbel L, Polonsky M, Wegman M, Shumskaya N, Kurmanalieva A, Asanov A, Wickersham JA, Dvoriak S, Altice FL. Intersecting epidemics of HIV, HCV, and syphilis among soon-to-be released prisoners in Kyrgyzstan: Implications for prevention and treatment. International Journal Of Drug Policy 2016, 37: 9-20. PMID: 27455177, PMCID: PMC5124506, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.06.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDrug injectionHIV infectionLifetime drug injectionPrison drug injectionHIV care continuumAntiretroviral therapy coverageConfidence intervalsMean numberEpidemic of HIVHealth assessment surveyUndiagnosed syphilisSyphilis infectionConsented participantsHIV incidenceHIV transmissionIndependent correlatesWeighted prevalenceEvidence-based responsesHIV epidemicCare continuumDuration of imprisonmentHIV preventionHealth SurveyAIDS mortalityHIV