HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia

Abstract Objective Internally displaced persons (IDPs) can have limited access to HIV and hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment and prevention. IDPs comprise > 7% of Georgian population but prevalence and levels of HIV and HCV knowledge in this population remain unknown. We tested 100 IDPs in Georgia...

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Main Authors: Adrian Trovato, Maka Gogia, Ana Aslanikashvili, Tamuna Kasrashvili, Ganna Kovalenko, Anna Yakovleva, Britt Skaathun, Tetyana I. Vasylyeva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-10-01
Series:BMC Research Notes
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-024-06891-9
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author Adrian Trovato
Maka Gogia
Ana Aslanikashvili
Tamuna Kasrashvili
Ganna Kovalenko
Anna Yakovleva
Britt Skaathun
Tetyana I. Vasylyeva
author_facet Adrian Trovato
Maka Gogia
Ana Aslanikashvili
Tamuna Kasrashvili
Ganna Kovalenko
Anna Yakovleva
Britt Skaathun
Tetyana I. Vasylyeva
author_sort Adrian Trovato
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Internally displaced persons (IDPs) can have limited access to HIV and hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment and prevention. IDPs comprise > 7% of Georgian population but prevalence and levels of HIV and HCV knowledge in this population remain unknown. We tested 100 IDPs in Georgia for HIV and HCV, many of whom had drug injecting experience, and interviewed them about their migration experience, sexual and drug injecting practices, and HIV/HCV transmission knowledge. Results The average age of participants was 37.5 years (range 18–63); 31% were women. Almost half (N = 48) of participants reported ever injecting drugs; 17% of those (N = 8) started injecting drugs within the last year. Anti-HCV and HIV prevalence was 11% and 0%, respectively. Fewer people without drug use experience compared to people who inject drugs correctly answered all questions on the HIV knowledge test (13% vs. 35%, p = 0.015) or knew where to get tested for HIV (67% vs 98%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in HCV knowledge between the two groups. HIV and HCV prevalence remains low among Georgian IDPs, but levels of HIV knowledge were much lower than levels of HCV knowledge.
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spelling doaj-art-8fe11fe25e5a4eb7899fd074098d094b2025-08-20T02:11:23ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002024-10-011711710.1186/s13104-024-06891-9HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, GeorgiaAdrian Trovato0Maka Gogia1Ana Aslanikashvili2Tamuna Kasrashvili3Ganna Kovalenko4Anna Yakovleva5Britt Skaathun6Tetyana I. Vasylyeva7Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of CaliforniaGeorgian Harm Reduction NetworkNational Center for Disease Control and Public HealthGeorgian Harm Reduction NetworkDivision of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of CambridgeDepartment of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of CaliforniaDivision of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of CaliforniaAbstract Objective Internally displaced persons (IDPs) can have limited access to HIV and hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment and prevention. IDPs comprise > 7% of Georgian population but prevalence and levels of HIV and HCV knowledge in this population remain unknown. We tested 100 IDPs in Georgia for HIV and HCV, many of whom had drug injecting experience, and interviewed them about their migration experience, sexual and drug injecting practices, and HIV/HCV transmission knowledge. Results The average age of participants was 37.5 years (range 18–63); 31% were women. Almost half (N = 48) of participants reported ever injecting drugs; 17% of those (N = 8) started injecting drugs within the last year. Anti-HCV and HIV prevalence was 11% and 0%, respectively. Fewer people without drug use experience compared to people who inject drugs correctly answered all questions on the HIV knowledge test (13% vs. 35%, p = 0.015) or knew where to get tested for HIV (67% vs 98%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in HCV knowledge between the two groups. HIV and HCV prevalence remains low among Georgian IDPs, but levels of HIV knowledge were much lower than levels of HCV knowledge.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-024-06891-9DisplacementHIVHCVPeople who inject drugsGeorgia
spellingShingle Adrian Trovato
Maka Gogia
Ana Aslanikashvili
Tamuna Kasrashvili
Ganna Kovalenko
Anna Yakovleva
Britt Skaathun
Tetyana I. Vasylyeva
HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
BMC Research Notes
Displacement
HIV
HCV
People who inject drugs
Georgia
title HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
title_full HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
title_fullStr HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
title_full_unstemmed HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
title_short HIV and hepatitis C Virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of Shida Kartli, Georgia
title_sort hiv and hepatitis c virus in internally displaced people with and without injection drug use experience in the region of shida kartli georgia
topic Displacement
HIV
HCV
People who inject drugs
Georgia
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-024-06891-9
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