Abstract
Objectives: There is a high prevalence of HIV (2018: 5.2%) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ukraine. HIV testing, condom provision, and facilitated linkage to HIV treatment have been funded by various organisations via non-governmental organisations (NGOs). We investigated whether contact with these NGOs was associated with improved prevention and treatment outcomes among MSM in Ukraine.
Methods: Data were taken from four rounds of integrated bio-behavioural surveys among MSM in Ukraine (2011 N=5950, 2013 N=8101, 2015 N=4550, 2018 N=5971) including HIV testing combined with questionnaire responses. Data were analysed using mixed-effect regression models, which estimated associations between being an NGO client and behavioural, HIV testing, and HIV treatment outcomes, adjusted for demographic factors.
Results: MSM who were NGO clients were more likely than non-clients to have been HIV tested in the last year (adjusted odds ratio 7.01, 95% confidence interval: 6.45-7.62) or ever (11.00: 9.77-12.38), to have used a condom for the last anal sex act (1.32: 1.21-1.43), and to have recently either bought or received condoms (21.27: 18.01-25.12). HIV-positive MSM were more likely to have contact with NGOs (1.61: 1.39-1.86). Among the HIV-positive MSM, those that were NGO clients were more likely to be registered at an AIDS center (2.24: 1.61-3.11) and to be on ART (2.20: 1.51-3.20).
Conclusions: In Ukraine, being in contact with MSM-targeted NGOs is associated with better outcomes for HIV prevention, testing and treatment, suggesting NGO harm reduction projects for MSM have had a beneficial impact on reducing HIV transmission and morbidity.
Methods: Data were taken from four rounds of integrated bio-behavioural surveys among MSM in Ukraine (2011 N=5950, 2013 N=8101, 2015 N=4550, 2018 N=5971) including HIV testing combined with questionnaire responses. Data were analysed using mixed-effect regression models, which estimated associations between being an NGO client and behavioural, HIV testing, and HIV treatment outcomes, adjusted for demographic factors.
Results: MSM who were NGO clients were more likely than non-clients to have been HIV tested in the last year (adjusted odds ratio 7.01, 95% confidence interval: 6.45-7.62) or ever (11.00: 9.77-12.38), to have used a condom for the last anal sex act (1.32: 1.21-1.43), and to have recently either bought or received condoms (21.27: 18.01-25.12). HIV-positive MSM were more likely to have contact with NGOs (1.61: 1.39-1.86). Among the HIV-positive MSM, those that were NGO clients were more likely to be registered at an AIDS center (2.24: 1.61-3.11) and to be on ART (2.20: 1.51-3.20).
Conclusions: In Ukraine, being in contact with MSM-targeted NGOs is associated with better outcomes for HIV prevention, testing and treatment, suggesting NGO harm reduction projects for MSM have had a beneficial impact on reducing HIV transmission and morbidity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | HIV Medicine |
| Early online date | 12 Nov 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 12 Nov 2020 |
Keywords
- harm reduction
- MSM
- NGO
- prevention
- Ukraine