“They don’t like us….”: Barriers to antiretroviral and opioid substitution therapy among homeless HIV positive people who inject drugs in Delhi: A mixed method study.

The barriers in accessing the ART and OST services uptake and the experiences of people who inject drugs and service providers

Abstract

Provision of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) are important components of the targeted intervention (TI) programme for people who inject drugs (PWID). Homeless HIV positive PWIDs in Delhi is a key population experiencing gaps in uptake of these services, especially the ART uptake which is reportedly far from 90%, UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 target to end the AIDS epidemic.

This study aims to assess the gaps and barriers in accessing the ART and OST services uptake among HIV positive homeless PWID in Delhi and to explore experiences and perspectives of the PWIDs and service providers.

This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)

Citation

Kumar S, Gupte HA, Isaakidis P, Mishra JK, Munjattu JF. “They don’t like us….”: Barriers to antiretroviral and opioid substitution therapy among homeless HIV positive people who inject drugs in Delhi: A mixed method study. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(8):e0203262.

“They don’t like us….”: Barriers to antiretroviral and opioid substitution therapy among homeless HIV positive people who inject drugs in Delhi: A mixed method study

Published 30 August 2019