Enhancing linkage to HIV care for newly detected HIV-positive persons in Ukraine

Head

Oleksandr Neduzhko

The term of realization

30.09.2013 - 29.03.2018

Donor

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The aim of the progect

This study assesses the effectiveness of the MARTAS - Modified effective “Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services” (ARTAS) intervention. This is a case management - based individual-level, multi-session intervention for people who are recently diagnosed with HIV in narcology, TB, and STIs clinics in order to help them link to and be retained in HIV care.

Goals and objectives

1. (Modifying ARTAS) - modify the ARTAS intervention protocol for using it with patients recently diagnosed with HIV in Ukraine based on the results of a formative study conducted in specialized healthcare facilities of the Dnipropetrovsk oblast.

2. (Piloting MARTAS) – explore feasibility, acceptability and quality of intervention through a pilot study conducted in three specialized healthcare facilities in the city of Mykolaiv for a group of up to 30 patients recently diagnosed with HIV.

3. (Evaluating MARTAS) – using the design of a randomized controlled study, evaluate the effectiveness of intervention at nine sites (specialized healthcare facilities) in three oblasts of Ukraine (Odesa, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk) by comparing the observed rates of engagement and retention in care of HIV positive participants from the intervention and control groups.

4. (Studying the perception of MARTAS) – study the perception of MARTAS by the recipients to determine the feasibility of its implementation and its future dissemination in the healthcare facilities of Ukraine.

Results and publications

Neduzhko O, Postnov O, Sereda Y, Kulchynska R, Bingham T, Myers JJ, Flanigan T, Kiriazova T. Modified Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study (MARTAS): A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of a Linkage-to-Care Intervention Among HIV-Positive Patients in Ukraine. AIDS Behav. 2020 Apr 24 (EN)

Neduzhko O, Postnov O, Bingham T, Myers J, Flanigan T, Kiriazova T. Feasibility and Acceptability of the Modified Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study (MARTAS) Intervention Based on a Pilot Study in Ukraine. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2019 Jan-Dec (EN)

Kiriazova T, Postnov O, Bingham T, Myers J, Flanigan T, Vitek C, Neduzhko O. Patient and provider perspectives inform an intervention to improve linkage to care for HIV patients in Ukraine. BMC Health Serv Res. Jan 30, 2018 (EN)

Copies of the MARTAS study dataset may be obtained by submitted a data request to Dr. Oleksandr Neduzhko. His current e-mail address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All requests for data must be submitted with a plan describing the purpose of the data request and plans securing the data, and the plans release of the results. A data release committee will review the request. If that committee cannot be reconstituted at the time of the request, then Dr. Oleksandr Neduzhko will make the appropriate determination on his own.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.uiphp.org.ua/en/projects/completed-projects/item/15-enhancing-linkage-to-hiv-care-for-newly-detected-hiv-positive-persons-in-ukraine#sigProId43013331ab