Characteristics of visitors of HIV prevention centres in 2019-2021 in Latvia

Background: Although the number of new HIV and hepatitis C cases in Latvia decreases every year, Latvia ranks second among EU/EEA countries in terms of the number of new HIV infection cases per 100,000 population and first among EU/EEA countries in terms of the number of new hepatitis C cases per 100,000 population. HIV prevention points in Latvia are low-threshold centres that provide essential HIV and viral hepatitis prevention services - every resident can take an HIV and hepatitis C rapid test anonymous and for free, receive condoms, information and support, while injecting drug users can also exchange syringes and needles. As the main transmission routes of HIV infection have changed, the profile of visitors to HIV prevention points also changes. The aim of the study was to assess characteristics of visitors of HIV prevention points in 2019-2021. in Latvia. Methods: Data from The electronic data recording system of the HIV prevention program from January 2019 to December 2021 maintained by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia were used. In total, data on 16,324 unique visitors of 18 HIV prevention points were used, of which 24.4% (n=3,980) were injecting drug users and 75.6% (n=12344) were not injecting drug users. Quantitative data were analysed using MS Excel and IBM SPSS 26.0. Results: Most of the visitors who are injecting drug users were men (77.7%), Russian nationality (64.9%), with secondary education (38.1%). Most of the visitors who are not injecting drug users were men (50.3%), Latvian nationality (62.6%) with secondary education (31.7%). Of all visitors, 83.7% had an HIV rapid test (n=13665) and 73.1% had a hepatitis C rapid test (n=11935). Conclusions: The characteristics of visitors of HIV prevention points differ between groups according to the status of injecting drug use and the location of the HIV prevention point. The electronic data recording system of the HIV prevention program consists information of all visitors of HIV prevention points, the principle of anonymity can lead to bias.