Data from Ukraine on risk factors for HIV acquisition are
limited. We describe the characteristics of individuals testing for HIV in the
main testing centres of the Ukrainian capital Kiev, including HIV risk factors,
testing rates, and positivity rates.
During the study period 6370 individuals tested for HIV,
equivalent to a testing rate of 293.2 per 100,000. Of these, 467 (7.8%) were
HIV-positive, with the highest proportion positive among
- 31–35 year olds (11.2%), males (9.4%),
- people who inject drugs (PWID) (17.9%)
- and men who have sex with men (MSM) (24.1%).
Using published population size estimates of MSM,
diagnosis rates for MSM ranged from 490.6to 1548.3/100,000. A higher proportion
of heterosexual women compared to heterosexual men reported contact with PWID,
(16% vs. 4.7%) suggesting a bridging in risk between PWID and their sexual
partners.
Collection of HIV risk factor information in Kiev, essential
for the purposes of developing effective HIV prevention and response tools, is
feasible. The high percentage of MSM among those testing positive for HIV, may
indicate a significant level of undisclosed sex between men in national
figures.
2Perinatal Prevention of AIDS Initiative, Odessa, Ukraine
3Kyiv City AIDS Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
4Institute of Epidemiology, Kyiv, Ukraine
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