Design of a randomized controlled trial to Link Infectious and Narcology Care (LINC-II) in St. Petersburg, Russia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

If Russia is to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 HIV targets, better approaches to engage, effectively treat, and retain patients in care are needed. This paper describes the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness of LINC-II, a strength-based case management program for HIV-positive people who inject drugs (PWID) to increase rates of HIV viral suppression, ART initiation, and opioid abstinence.

Methods

This RCT will enroll and randomize 240 participants, recruited from a narcology (addiction care) hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia. Participants are randomized to the intervention or control arms. Those in the intervention arm receive: (1) strengths-based HIV case management supporting coordinated care; (2) rapid ART initiation; and (3

SUBMITTER: Gnatienko N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6958793 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature