Effectiveness of community - based intervention model for HIV control among people who inject drugs in Hai Phong City from 2016 to 2020

Abstract

Our study was carried out among current peole who inject drugs (PWID) in Hai Phong between 2016 and 2020 aimed to evaluate implementation of combined prevention and care intervention for HIV control in this population. The intervention model includes large-scale HIV screening conducted through three surveys by using “Respondent-Driven Sampling” (RDS) and peer group support to connect PWID with ART and methadone treatment. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated by comparing the outcomes between two RDS surveys, the initial survey (RDS1) and the final post-intervention assessment survey (RDS4) after three years of invervention from 2016 to 2019. Results: 5546 PWID participated in four rounds of RDS, 757 PWID in the HIV positive cohort and 897 PWID in the HIV negative cohort. Most PWID were male, living in a relationship and employed. The proportion of PWID who were under methadone treatment increased from 11.8% in RDS1 to 48.9% in RDS4 (p < 0.001). The HIV viral load suppression rate in PWID HIV (+) at RDS1 was 75.6%, and increased to 88.7% at RDS4, (p < 0.001). HIV incidence rate was 0.1/100 person-years [95% CI: 0.03 - 0.4]. Conclusion: The intervention model is effective in controlling of the HIV epidemic in the PWID in Hai Phong city.