@article{discovery10073857, journal = {F1000Research}, title = {Young people in HIV care in Ukraine: a national survey on characteristics and service provision [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]}, year = {2019}, volume = {8}, month = {May}, publisher = {F1000 Research Ltd}, note = {Copyright {\copyright} 2019 Kyselyova G et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.}, keywords = {HIV, youth, adolescents, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, transition, perinatal HIV infection, injecting drug use, reproductive health, harm reduction}, issn = {2046-1402}, abstract = {Background: Ukraine's perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) young people are ageing into adolescence/young adulthood and, alongside those with horizontally-acquired HIV infections, require transitional and other support services. We aimed to map this population and policies/service provision at specialist HIV centres, to inform future service development. / Methods: A national survey was conducted of 28 HIV/AIDS centres on number, characteristics (age group, HIV acquisition mode) and care setting (paediatric/adult) of 10-24 year olds in HIV care in each of 24 regions in January 2016. Information was collected on policies/service provision at each centre. / Results: Of 13,286 young people aged 10-24 years registered for HIV care nationally in Ukraine in January 2016, 1,675 were aged 10-18 years. Three-quarters of {$\leq$}19 year olds were PHIV, while 72\% of 20-24-year-olds had sexually-acquired infection. Five regions accounted for two-thirds of 10-18 year olds in paediatric and 85\% of 19-24 year olds in adult services. In 2015, 97 young people transitioned from paediatric to adult services nationally, typically at 18 years although with flexibility in timing at 17/28 centres. At 27/28 centres, horizontally HIV-infected young people aged {\ensuremath{<}}18 years began their HIV care in paediatric services sometimes (5) or always (22). Transition support most commonly consisted of a joint appointment with paediatrician and adult doctor, and support from a psychologist/social worker (both at 24/28 centres). Only 5/28 centres offered routine HIV care during the evening or weekend, and availability of integrated sexual/reproductive health and harm reduction services was uneven. Of 16/28 centres selectively following-up patients who did not attend for care, 15 targeted patients in paediatric services. / Conclusions: Heterogeneity in the population and in service availability at the main regional/municipal HIV/AIDS centres has implications for potential structural barriers to HIV care, and development of services for this group.}, url = {https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.18573.2}, author = {Kyselyova, G and Martsynovska, V and Volokha, A and Nizova, N and Malyuta, R and Judd, A and Thorne, C and Bailey, H} }