HIV Prevention Partnership in Russian Alcohol Treatment

A randomized controlled trial of an HIV prevention intervention in a narcology hospital using a stratified randomization design (by gender and substance use diagnosis) will be implemented.

We will conduct a trial among 180 inpatient subjects undergoing treatment at the LRCA. This adapted HIV prevention intervention (adapted Enhanced-RESPECT), Project RESPECT, is a 2-session, one-on-one HIV prevention counseling and testing activity with a trained health educator. By random assignment, half of the subjects will receive the Enhanced-RESPECT intervention, which will include 3 additional booster sessions. And half will receive CDC post-test counseling or standard of care depending on the results of their HIV antibody test. The post-test counseling will follow CDC counseling and testing guidelines. Subjects in the Control group who are not HIV-infected will receive the current standard of care in Russia for non-infected patients; receipt of negative test results by a clinician. HIV pre-test counseling occurs within the first 48 hours of patient arrival at LRCA. CDC post-test counseling guidelines represent a higher standard of care than currently exists within this facility for HIV-infected patients and is equivalent to the standard of care recommended for US HIV testing facilities.

All study participants will be evaluated regarding substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors at baseline and follow-up. Follow up interviews will take place at 3 time points (just before discharge from the hospital and at 3 and 6 months post-randomization). All Intervention participants will receive the basic 2-session adapted RESPECT intervention while inpatients; booster sessions for adapted Enhanced-RESPECT HIV Intervention participants will take place after discharge. Booster sessions will be offered once a month for 3 months.