Linking Infectious and Narcology Care (LINC), Russia, 2012-2014

This study is part of the Seek, Test, Treat and Retain (STTR) Collaboration Project that involved over twenty studies in the fields of HIV and drug abuse. All studies were independently developed, but were chosen for the collaboration because they focused on one or more steps of the HIV treatment cascade: Seek, Test, Treat and Retain. As part of STTR Collaboration Project, the studies were grouped into Criminal Justice-related studies and Vulnerable Population-related studies. The data collected by these studies included twelve common domains (e.g., Demographic characteristics, Mental Health) in each of which a shared questionnaire or instrument was taken up by the studies and adapted to fit the study.
Linking Infectious and Narcology Care (LINC) involved coordination between the narcology and HIV systems of care utilizing HIV strengths-based case management delivered via five one-on-one sessions by a peer case manager (i.e., HIV-infected men and women in recovery from addiction) to help motivate and reduce barriers to HIV care. The initial session was designed to be delivered in the narcology hospital and included provision of CD4 test results by the case manager (CM) in a timely fashion, to increase engagement in HIV medical care. Subsequent sessions were conducted upon discharge from the narcology hospital over a 6-month period in community (e.g., parks, coffee shops) or clinic locations, agreed upon by the case manager and participant.
The LINC intervention was developed via adaptation of the Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study (ARTAS) intervention for use in the Russian setting and specifically with people who inject drugs (PWID).