Social Support is Key to Retention in Care during Covid-19 Pandemic among Older People with HIV and Substance Use Disorders in Ukraine.
Subst Use Misuse
; 55(11): 1902-1904, 2020.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-646895
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Older people with human immunodeficiency virus - HIV (OPWH) defined as ≥50 years old account for a growing proportion of newly diagnosed infections in Ukraine (16% in 2018), but the prevalence of substance use disorder among OPWH in Ukraine remains unknown. Ukraine responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with a comprehensive lockdown in late March 2020.Objectives:
We conducted a phone survey among 123 OPWH with substance use disorders (SUD) in Kyiv in May 2020 to learn if these older adults may continue HIV and SUD therapy while coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.Results:
Data from the survey demonstrated that while OPWH with SUD maintained HIV and SUD therapy throughout Covid-19 lockdown, social support is critical to avoiding treatment interruption for OPWH with SUD. Conclusions/Importance During reopening, reduction of support may lead to OPWH feeling even more isolated. Post-Covid-19 pharmacological approaches to SUD treatment without social support are like vehicles without gas. The research agenda for OPWH patients with SUD going forward must include determining the type of telehealth support that will be optimally effective to retain OPWH including people who inject drugs (PWID), provision of support by lay health workers, and cost-effectiveness of such interventions. The lessons learned may be relevant to other countries as well.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
HIV Infections
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Substance-Related Disorders
/
Pandemics
/
Retention in Care
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Subst Use Misuse
Journal subject:
Substance-Related Disorders
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
10826084.2020.1791183
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