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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2008, 10, 1 (pages: 13 - 18)

First Experience of Opioid Therapy with Buprenorphine in Ukraine

Dvoryak S., Grishayeva I.

Summary: Ukraine is the country that has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS among IDUs in Europe. The development of opioid maintenance treatment for opioid users is an important public health issue.The earliest utilization of buprenorphine for OMT was made in 2004-5, within the framework of the UNDP Applied Human Rights Project. It was accompanied by research which was a part of the WHO Collaborative Study on Opioid Treatment of Opioid Dependence and HIV/AIDS. There were 67 opioid drug users under observation. This was a prospective observational study with assessments at baseline, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. All assessments refer to the period of one month prior to interview. The main aims of outcome evaluation were to explore changes in the following domains: health status and well-being of individuals in opioid treatment; community/social benefits and also programme performance. Improvements in the main indicators were documented after 6 months of treatment. The retention level was 66% and the mean buprenorphine dose was about 8 mg/day. The main conclusion is that buprenorphine treatment is effective in the context of Ukrainian social conditions.