2020
A qualitative study of diphenhydramine injection in Kyrgyz prisons and implications for harm reduction
Meyer JP, Culbert GJ, Azbel L, Bachireddy C, Kurmanalieva A, Rhodes T, Altice FL. A qualitative study of diphenhydramine injection in Kyrgyz prisons and implications for harm reduction. Harm Reduction Journal 2020, 17: 86. PMID: 33129341, PMCID: PMC7603760, DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00435-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNeedle/syringe programsMethadone maintenance therapyHIV prevention effortsMental health consequencesDiphenhydramine injectionMaintenance therapyOpioid dependenceHIV transmissionState of euphoriaSyringe programsIllicit injectionSkin infectionsMethadone utilizationStudy participantsHarmful drugsHealth consequencesMethadonePrevention effortsHarm reductionAntihistaminesInjectionFurther investigationKyrgyz prisonsVisible woundsQualitative study
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 environments