A novel, bottom-up approach to promote evidence-based HIV prevention for people who inject drugs in Ukraine: protocol for the MICT (‘Bridge’) HIV prevention exchange project

摘要

BackgroundUkraine has one of the most severe HIV epidemics in Eastern Europe, with an estimated 1.6% of the adult population living with the virus. Injection drug use accounts for 36% of new HIV cases. Nongovernmental organizations in Ukraine have little experience with effective, theory-based behavioral risk reduction interventions necessary to reduce the scope of the HIV epidemic among Ukrainians who inject drugs. This study seeks to promote the use of evidence-based HIV prevention strategies among Ukrainian organizations working with drug users.