2020
Physician and patient prediction of adherence to antiretroviral therapy in HIV positive people in Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Vetrova M, Aleksandrova O, Paschenko A, Toropov S, Rassokhin V, Abyshev R, Levina O, Niccolai L, Heimer R. Physician and patient prediction of adherence to antiretroviral therapy in HIV positive people in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. AIDS Care 2020, 33: 473-477. PMID: 32148065, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2020.1738005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntiretroviral therapyHIV-positive peopleART initiationPositive peopleHIV viral suppressionPatient predictionsAccuracy of providerReview of pharmacyART retentionHIV physiciansViral suppressionPhysicians' predictionsTreatment outcomesART outcomesPatientsAdherenceLaboratory dataTherapyLongitudinal analysisOutcomesProvidersInitiationPhysiciansCare
2018
Early stages of HIV treatment cascade in people living with HIV in Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Vetrova M, Aleksandrova O, Paschenko A, Toropov S, Rassokhin V, Abyshev R, Levina O, Niccolai L, Heimer R. Early stages of HIV treatment cascade in people living with HIV in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. AIDS Care 2018, 30: 857-862. PMID: 29325435, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2017.1417536.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntiretroviral therapyUndetectable VLART outcomesInitiation of ARTPilot studyProportion of PLWHMedical chart reviewHIV epidemic controlSuccessful treatment outcomeProportion of peopleChart reviewHIV treatmentDrug abuse statusDisease progressionTreatment outcomesOlder ageTreatment effectivenessART effectivenessEpidemic controlPLWHIllicit drugsHIVSignificant differencesAbuse statusOutcomes
2016
Psychiatric Distress, Drug Use, and HIV Viral Load Suppression in Russia
Ustinov A, Suvorova A, Belyakov A, Makhamatova A, Levina O, Krupitsky E, Lioznov D, Niccolai L, Heimer R. Psychiatric Distress, Drug Use, and HIV Viral Load Suppression in Russia. AIDS And Behavior 2016, 20: 1603-1608. PMID: 26809193, PMCID: PMC4945434, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1297-x.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2012
Speaking the truth: an analysis of gender differences in serostatus disclosure practices among HIV-infected patients in St Petersburg, Russia
Davidson A, Zaller N, Dukhovlinova E, Toussova O, Feller E, Heimer R, Kozlov A. Speaking the truth: an analysis of gender differences in serostatus disclosure practices among HIV-infected patients in St Petersburg, Russia. International Journal Of STD & AIDS 2012, 23: 685-688. PMID: 23104740, DOI: 10.1258/ijsa.2012.011463.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInjection drug useHIV treatmentDrug useRussian HIV epidemicCross-sectional studyHIV-positive serostatusHeterosexual spreadHIV diseaseSecondary preventionAIDS CenterAIDS clinicMean ageSexual transmissionHIV epidemicSerostatus disclosureFemale genderImportant target groupMarried statusInfection routeSexual partnersHIVPatientsImportant contact pointsMedical communityMode of acquisition
2011
Chronic pain, Addiction severity, and misuse of opioids in Cumberland County, Maine
Heimer R, Dasgupta N, Irwin KS, Kinzly M, Harvey AP, Givens A, Grau LE. Chronic pain, Addiction severity, and misuse of opioids in Cumberland County, Maine. Addictive Behaviors 2011, 37: 346-349. PMID: 22138379, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2011.11.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAddiction Severity IndexBrief Pain InventoryChronic painOpioid abuseBPI scoresMisuse of opioidsCommon co-occurring conditionsSubstance abuse treatment programsCommunity-based sampleCo-occurring conditionsSubstance abuse treatmentStreet-recruited sampleOrder of onsetRespondent-driven samplingPain InventoryPain managementIllicit opioidsOpioid misuseRegular physicianOpioid abusersDaily livingPainDrug misusePrior monthTreatment programPolice training to align law enforcement and HIV prevention: preliminary evidence from the field.
Beletsky L, Agrawal A, Moreau B, Kumar P, Weiss-Laxer N, Heimer R. Police training to align law enforcement and HIV prevention: preliminary evidence from the field. American Journal Of Public Health 2011, 101: 2012-5. PMID: 21940924, PMCID: PMC3222387, DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2011.300254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLegal knowledgeLaw enforcementSyringe accessOccupational safety educationOccupational safety knowledgePolice trainingAccess lawsPolice professionalsNeedlestick injuriesPublic health goalsEnforcementIntervention tailoringRisk overestimationOccupational SafetyPublic healthHealth goalsLawHIV preventionDrug useAccess contentAccessInjuryBaseline dataPreliminary evidenceSignificant shiftSubpopulations of Illicit Drug Users Reached by Targeted Street Outreach and Respondent-Driven Sampling Strategies: Implications for Research and Public Health Practice
Rudolph AE, Crawford ND, Latkin C, Heimer R, Benjamin EO, Jones KC, Fuller CM. Subpopulations of Illicit Drug Users Reached by Targeted Street Outreach and Respondent-Driven Sampling Strategies: Implications for Research and Public Health Practice. Annals Of Epidemiology 2011, 21: 280-289. PMID: 21376275, PMCID: PMC3062521, DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2010.11.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRespondent-driven samplingPublic health practiceIllicit drug usersDrug usersStreet outreachHealth practicesDrug network characteristicsLog-binomial regressionNeedle exchange programsPublic health practitionersBaseline questionnaireHeroin usersDrug useHealth practitionersCocaine usersRecruitment wavesDifferent subgroupsRecruitment biasesRecruitment strategiesDescriptive statisticsNew York CityYork CityHeroinExchange programs
2010
Epidemiologic trends and geographic patterns of fatal opioid intoxications in Connecticut, USA: 1997–2007
Green TC, Grau LE, Carver HW, Kinzly M, Heimer R. Epidemiologic trends and geographic patterns of fatal opioid intoxications in Connecticut, USA: 1997–2007. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2010, 115: 221-228. PMID: 21131140, PMCID: PMC3095753, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrescription opioidsOpioid typeIntoxication deathsRisk factorsDrug intoxication deathsHeroin-related deathsOpioid-related deathsFatal opioid overdoseChief Medical ExaminerOpioid intoxicationOpioid deathsDrug poisoningInjury deathsEpidemiologic trendsOpioid overdoseOpioidsDeath locationPrevention effortsDeathMedical examinersRegression analysisSignificant increasePublic healthEpidemiologyHeroinComparing sexual risks and patterns of alcohol and drug use between injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs in St. Petersburg, Russia
Abdala N, White E, Toussova OV, Krasnoselskikh TV, Verevochkin S, Kozlov AP, Heimer R. Comparing sexual risks and patterns of alcohol and drug use between injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs in St. Petersburg, Russia. BMC Public Health 2010, 10: 676. PMID: 21054855, PMCID: PMC2988741, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-676.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInjection drug usersIDU sex partnersNon-IDUsRisky alcohol useSex partnersAlcohol useIDU populationSexual riskSexual transmissionUnprotected sexAlcohol Use Disorders Identification TestHIV prevention programsMultiple sexual partnersPatterns of alcoholSexual risk behaviorsSubstance use patternsDisorders Identification TestRisky sexual practicesHIV infectionMethamphetamine injectionAssessed associationsBackgroundTo dateCasual partnersGeneral populationDrug usersThe Relative Role of Perceived Partner Risks in Promoting Condom Use in a Three-City Sample of High-Risk, Low-Income Women
Ober AJ, Iguchi MY, Weiss RE, Gorbach PM, Heimer R, Ouellet LJ, Shoptaw S, Anglin MD, Zule WA. The Relative Role of Perceived Partner Risks in Promoting Condom Use in a Three-City Sample of High-Risk, Low-Income Women. AIDS And Behavior 2010, 15: 1347-1358. PMID: 20976538, PMCID: PMC3180610, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-010-9840-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDrug Network Characteristics and HIV Risk Among Injection Drug Users in Russia: The roles of Trust, Size, and Stability
Cepeda JA, Odinokova VA, Heimer R, Grau LE, Lyubimova A, Safiullina L, Levina OS, Niccolai LM. Drug Network Characteristics and HIV Risk Among Injection Drug Users in Russia: The roles of Trust, Size, and Stability. AIDS And Behavior 2010, 15: 1003-1010. PMID: 20872063, PMCID: PMC3112286, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-010-9816-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEstimates of HIV incidence among drug users in St. Petersburg, Russia: continued growth of a rapidly expanding epidemic
Niccolai LM, Verevochkin SV, Toussova OV, White E, Barbour R, Kozlov AP, Heimer R. Estimates of HIV incidence among drug users in St. Petersburg, Russia: continued growth of a rapidly expanding epidemic. European Journal Of Public Health 2010, 21: 613-619. PMID: 20798184, PMCID: PMC3180633, DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckq115.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInjection drug usersRetrospective cohort analysisHIV incidenceEnzyme immunoassayHIV epidemicCohort analysisDrug usersBED capture enzyme immunoassayHIV incident casesRecent HIV incidenceHigh HIV incidenceHIV prevention interventionsCross-sectional studyCapture enzyme immunoassayIncident infectionsIncident casesEstimate incidenceIndependent correlatesIncidence rateIncidence estimatesPrevention interventionsCurrent epidemic situationIncidenceVulnerable populationsLow specificityHIV Disclosure, Condom Use, and Awareness of HIV Infection Among HIV-Positive, Heterosexual Drug Injectors in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Grau LE, White E, Niccolai LM, Toussova OV, Verevochkin SV, Kozlov AP, Heimer R. HIV Disclosure, Condom Use, and Awareness of HIV Infection Among HIV-Positive, Heterosexual Drug Injectors in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. AIDS And Behavior 2010, 15: 45-57. PMID: 20700645, PMCID: PMC3023022, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-010-9775-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrevalence and predictors of transitions to and away from syringe exchange use over time in 3 US cities with varied syringe dispensing policies
Green TC, Bluthenthal RN, Singer M, Beletsky L, Grau LE, Marshall P, Heimer R. Prevalence and predictors of transitions to and away from syringe exchange use over time in 3 US cities with varied syringe dispensing policies. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2010, 111: 74-81. PMID: 20537814, PMCID: PMC3087197, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.03.022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSyringe exchange programsSEP usersSEP useThree-City cohort studyPolicy change analysisSyringe exchange usePredictors of transitionSecondary syringe exchangePolice contactCohort studyFemale sexHIV riskSyringe availabilityExchange useSyringe exchangeDrug usersDrug paraphernaliaHealth interventionsUS citiesLatino ethnicityIDUsPolicyContextual factorsMultinomial regressionTypologyPatterns of drug use and abuse among aging adults with and without HIV: A latent class analysis of a US Veteran cohort
Green TC, Kershaw T, Lin H, Heimer R, Goulet JL, Kraemer KL, Gordon AJ, Maisto SA, Day NL, Bryant K, Fiellin DA, Justice AC. Patterns of drug use and abuse among aging adults with and without HIV: A latent class analysis of a US Veteran cohort. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2010, 110: 208-220. PMID: 20395074, PMCID: PMC3087206, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.02.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Aging Cohort StudyHIV statusMultidrug usersDrug useLatent class analysisUS Veteran cohortAging Cohort StudyActive drug useSelf-reported drug useMental health disordersProblem of obesityElectronic medical recordsUninfected veteransCohort studyClinical variablesDrug use consequencesSocio-demographic covariatesMedical recordsHigh prevalenceUninfected adultsAge 50HIVHealth disordersDrug usersVeteran cohortEstimation of the number of injection drug users in St. Petersburg, Russia
Heimer R, White E. Estimation of the number of injection drug users in St. Petersburg, Russia. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2010, 109: 79-83. PMID: 20060238, PMCID: PMC2875272, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.12.010.Peer-Reviewed Original Research[The study of characteristics of overdose among users of opioid drug injections].
Iliuk R, Krupitskiĭ E, Torban M, Kozlov A, Blinnikova K, Heimer R, Green T, Grau L. [The study of characteristics of overdose among users of opioid drug injections]. S S Korsakov Journal Of Neurology And Psychiatry 2010, 110: 33-43. PMID: 21322146.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid overdose riskMore health problemsNonfatal overdosesRole of alcoholDrug injectionOverdose riskEarly diagnosisComorbid disordersOverdose preventionSomatic disordersHealth problemsOverdoseLonger abstinenceMental disordersOverdose situationsDeath casesDisordersSufficient helpOverdosesAdditional predictorsFamily psychotherapyDrug qualityHigher numberDiagnosisAbstinence
2009
Hepatitis C virus infection among drug injectors in St Petersburg, Russia: social and molecular epidemiology of an endemic infection
Paintsil E, Verevochkin SV, Dukhovlinova E, Niccolai L, Barbour R, White E, Toussova OV, Alexander L, Kozlov AP, Heimer R. Hepatitis C virus infection among drug injectors in St Petersburg, Russia: social and molecular epidemiology of an endemic infection. Addiction 2009, 104: 1881-1890. PMID: 19712125, PMCID: PMC2763027, DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02687.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInjection drug usersHepatitis C virusRespondent-driven samplingPrevalent infectionMajority of IDUsHepatitis C virus infectionSustained virological responseC virus infectionRespondent-driven sampleAssociation of genotypesIDU communityVirological responseHCV infectionAntiviral therapyC virusGenotype 3aDrug injectionVirus infectionDrug injectorsBlood samplesHCV sequencesDrug usersEndemic infectionInfectionMolecular epidemiologyPeridomestic Lyme Disease Prevention Results of a Population-Based Case–Control Study
Connally NP, Durante AJ, Yousey-Hindes KM, Meek JI, Nelson RS, Heimer R. Peridomestic Lyme Disease Prevention Results of a Population-Based Case–Control Study. American Journal Of Preventive Medicine 2009, 37: 201-206. PMID: 19595558, DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.04.026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnimalsCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolConnecticutEnvironment DesignEnvironmental ExposureFemaleHumansHygieneInfantLogistic ModelsLyme DiseaseMaleMatched-Pair AnalysisMiddle AgedPopulation SurveillanceProspective StudiesResidence CharacteristicsRisk FactorsSurveys and QuestionnairesTicksYoung AdultConceptsCase-control studyLyme diseaseDisease prevention initiativesConditional logistic regressionDisease prevention measuresErythema migransPotential confoundersRecreational exposureLogistic regressionProspective ageDiseaseCase onsetPrevention resultsPrevention measuresPersonal protectionRiskHoursConfoundersMigransTicksInfectionStudyConnecticut communitiesMonthsPotential Bridges of Heterosexual HIV Transmission from Drug Users to the General Population in St. Petersburg, Russia: Is it Easy to be a Young Female?
Toussova O, Shcherbakova I, Volkova G, Niccolai L, Heimer R, Kozlov A. Potential Bridges of Heterosexual HIV Transmission from Drug Users to the General Population in St. Petersburg, Russia: Is it Easy to be a Young Female? Journal Of Urban Health 2009, 86: 121-130. PMID: 19533368, PMCID: PMC2705483, DOI: 10.1007/s11524-009-9364-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIDU sex partnersInjection drug usersSex partnersNon-IDUsGeneral populationDrug usersYoung femalesHeterosexual HIV transmissionEpidemic of HIVHIV diagnosisHIV transmissionSexual transmissionHIV preventionPotential bridgeFurther transmissionYoung womenAlcohol useConvenience sampleSignificant correlatesSignificant predictorsUrgent effortsFemalesEpidemicLast yearsLow levels