Abstract

This article reports on the results observed in a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews with injection drug users (IDUs) and drug dealers in Odessa, Ukraine. Ukraine has the highest rate of HIV infection in Eastern as well as Western Europe, and Odessa ranks among the cities in that country with the highest seroprevalence. The epidemic is largely concentrated among IDUs, although heterosexual transmission is increasing. The purpose of this study was to further understand the context in which HIV-related risk behaviors occur in order to recommend intervention strategies that might reduce the rate of new infections. The drug users who participated in the research were impoverished and severely addicted. Findings revealed that there were two sources for drugs in Odessa: either from gypsies in preloaded syringes, or from drug dealers also in a liquid form. The most common drug injected was liquid poppy straw, a weak opiate known as "hemia." Results showed widespread victimization of drug users by police officials, leading to increased risk-taking to avoid arrest or harassment. Needle/syringe sharing was common and users rarely had time to disinfect their works. The most common product used to clean was urine, believed to be an antiseptic. When asked to recommend prevention strategies to reduce the rising rate of HIV, the most common response by the users and dealers was to legalize drugs. The drug and HIV epidemics in Odessa, as well as all of Ukraine, call for urgent public health measures to impact and improve the health of its citizens.