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 Prisoner 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
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
The perfect storm: incarceration and the high-risk environment perpetuating transmission of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Altice FL, Azbel L, Stone J, Brooks-Pollock E, Smyrnov P, Dvoriak S, Taxman FS, El-Bassel N, Martin NK, Booth R, Stöver H, Dolan K, Vickerman P. The perfect storm: incarceration and the high-risk environment perpetuating transmission of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Lancet 2016, 388: 1228-1248. PMID: 27427455, PMCID: PMC5087988, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)30856-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid agonist therapyHepatitis C virusIncident tuberculosis casesAgonist therapyC virusTuberculosis casesHIV transmissionEECA countriesAntiretroviral therapy coverageHIV transmission riskNew HIV infectionsInjection of opioidsTransmission of HIVSecondary preventionHIV infectionHIV incidenceSyringe programsHIVDrug useLarge burdenTransmission riskTherapyTuberculosisDrugsHigh levelsTrials and tribulations of conducting bio-behavioral surveys in prisons: implementation science and lessons from Ukraine
Azbel L, Grishaev Y, Wickersham JA, Chernova O, Dvoryak S, Polonsky M, Altice FL. Trials and tribulations of conducting bio-behavioral surveys in prisons: implementation science and lessons from Ukraine. International Journal Of Prisoner Health 2016, 12: 78-87. PMID: 27219905, PMCID: PMC5513812, DOI: 10.1108/ijph-10-2014-0041.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFormer Soviet UnionHarsh prison sentencesDesign/methodology/approach Qualitative interviewsCriminal justice systemUkrainian prisonsJustice systemPrison sentencesOriginality/valueSoviet UnionBio-behavioural surveyPrisonSpecific contextDepartment involvementAdministrative staffUkraineImplementation scienceHIV epidemic
2013
A review of medical and substance use co-morbidities in Central Asian prisons: Implications for HIV prevention and treatment
Vagenas P, Azbel L, Polonsky M, Kerimi N, Mamyrov M, Dvoryak S, Altice FL. A review of medical and substance use co-morbidities in Central Asian prisons: Implications for HIV prevention and treatment. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2013, 132: s25-s31. PMID: 23932844, PMCID: PMC3825758, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.07.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid substitution therapyDrug-related health problemsHIV preventionHealth problemsHIV sentinel surveillanceHIV prevention interventionsConcentration of HIVHIV incidenceHIV casesSubstitution therapyHIV prevalenceSentinel surveillancePrevention interventionsRisk populationsDisease RegistryTreatment servicesHealth reportingSubstance useHealthcare servicesRecent dataPrevalenceCrucial interventionPreventionInterventionOnline databases