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Background There are over 1 million people living with HIV in Russia, and less than half of them are on antiretroviral treatment (ART). Earlier in the epidemic, Russia was successful in implementing prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes; however, there is a gap in knowledge about postpartum adherence to ART among women living with HIV (WLHIV). The objective of our research study was to identify which factors are associated with postpartum engagement in HIV care and treatment in Russia. Methods We conducted a community-based participatory research study in five Russian cities. We surveyed 200 WLHIV who had given birth within the previous 24 months about their use of ART. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine which types of social support are associated with adherence to ART in the postpartum period. Results Less than half (40%) of mothers reported being adherent to ART. Multivariable analysis showed that having a supportive family environment [aOR = 2.64, 95% CI (1.91–5.83)], and active engagement with other HIV-positive mothers [aOR = 2.20, 95% CI (1.04–4.66)] were positively associated with postpartum adherence to ART. WLHIV who had more than one child were less likely to be adherent then WLHIV with just one child [aOR = 0.44, 95% CI (0.22–0.91)]. Conclusion The support that new mothers have or do not have can play an important role in WLHIV adherence to ART. The findings from our study provide ideas for improving the likelihood that women will continue to engage in HIV treatment and care after pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the results of scientific research of sex industry problem and practical work with women involved in sex-business in Saint-Petersburg (Russia) are exposed. Prerequisites of sex industry growth in the post-Soviet period as well as motives of street sex industry emergence have been analyzed. A wide range of medical, psychic and social consequences of street sex business involvement are considered, and potential ways of solution are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection drug users in Tirana, Albania and St. Petersburg, Russia were recruited into a study assessing HIV-related behaviors and HIV serostatus using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), a peer-driven recruitment sampling strategy that results in a probability sample. (Salganik M, Heckathorn DD. Sampling and estimation in hidden populations using respondent-driven sampling. Sociol Method. 2004;34:193-239). This paper presents a comparison of RDS implementation, findings on network and recruitment characteristics, and lessons learned. Initiated with 13 to 15 seeds, approximately 200 IDUs were recruited within 8 weeks. Information resulting from RDS indicates that social network patterns from the two studies differ greatly. Female IDUs in Tirana had smaller network sizes than male IDUs, unlike in St. Petersburg where female IDUs had larger network sizes than male IDUs. Recruitment patterns in each country also differed by demographic categories. Recruitment analyses indicate that IDUs form socially distinct groups by sex in Tirana, whereas there was a greater degree of gender mixing patterns in St. Petersburg. RDS proved to be an effective means of surveying these hard-to-reach populations.