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The Community Vulnerability and Responses to Drug-User-Related HIV/AIDS, 1990-2013 [96 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, United States] study (CVAR) was a research study of why large United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) vary over time in their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among drug users and in MSA responses to HIV/AIDS. This collection contains estimates of HIV prevalence among people who injected drugs (PWID) and among sub-populations of PWID. This collection is comprised of ten datasets with differing amounts of variables and provides trend data that describe the following:

• Epidemiologic outcomes including population prevalence of PWIDs and Non-injecting drug users (NIDUs), and particularly their prevalence among youth; and, among PWIDs, HIV prevalence, late-diagnosis HIV cases, and AIDS incidence and mortality.
• Implementation of evidence-based drug-related interventions including drug abuse treatment, syringe exchange, HIV counseling and testing.
• Implementation of non-evidence-based drug-related interventions including incarceration and arrests of drug users.

The collection contains data on the MSA sub-populations including Black, Hispanic, White and "other" race categories. In addition, some statistics are presented in age range categories such as ages 15-29, 30-64 and 15-64.

The purpose of this project was to establish a collection of datasets that could be used (1) to analyze the influence of partnership networks on the transmission of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, and (2) to examine the influence of study design on estimation of network properties and impacts. Eight studies contributed datasets to the collection.

They include:

1. Colorado Springs Project 90, 1988-1992
2. Bushwick [Brooklyn, NY] Social Factors and HIV Risk (SFHR) Study, 1991-1993
3. Atlanta Urban Networks Project, 1996-1999
4. Flagstaff Rural Network Study, 1996-1998
5. Atlanta Antiretroviral Adherence Study, 1998-2001
6. Houston Risk Networks Study, 1997-1998
7. Baltimore SHIELD (Self-Help in Eliminating Life-Threatening Diseases), 1997-1999
8. Manitoba Chlamydia Study, 1997-1998

Each study contains information on sexual, needle sharing, and/or social networks. Each dataset was harmonized to permit comparative analysis. Almost all of the studies were research projects funded by federal agency sources (e.g., United States Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health); one was funded by Canadian sources. These studies, all closed for further enrollment, provide a range of designs and study types as well as a range of transmitted diseases. This allows researchers to investigate the relative effect of personal behavior and network connections on the dynamics of disease transmission, and to explore the impact of sampling design on estimation of network properties. Respondents were asked questions about different test results such as HIV, chlamydia, syphilis and hepatitis. Demographic variables include race, ethnicity, marital status, age, and gender.

The Multi-Site Adult Drug Court Evaluation (MADCE) study included 23 drug courts and 6 comparison sites selected from 8 states across the country. The purpose of the study was to: (1) Test whether drug courts reduce drug use, crime, and multiple other problems associated with drug abuse, in comparision with similar offenders not exposed to drug courts, (2) address how drug courts work and for whom by isolating key individual and program factors that make drug courts more or less effective in achieving their desired outcomes, (3) explain how offender attitudes and behaviors change when they are exposed to drug courts and how these changes help explain the effectiveness of drug court programs, and (4) examine whether drug courts generate cost savings.

Offenders in all 29 sites were surveyed in 3 waves, at baseline, 6 months later, and 18 months after enrollment. The research comprises three major components: process evaluation, impact evaluation, and a cost-benefit analysis. The process evaluation describes how the 23 drug court sites vary in program eligibility, supervision, treatment, team collaboration, and other key policies and practices. The impact evaluation examines whether drug courts produce better outcomes than comparison sites and tests which court policies and offender attitudes might explain those effects. The cost-benefit analysis evaluates drug court costs and benefits.

This feasibility study tested the logistics and acceptance of the intervention and its evaluation tools against "usual care" conditions in preparation for a future randomized controlled trial. Specific aims included:

1. Demonstrating that recruitment and delivery of the intervention are feasible.
2. Demonstrating that enrolled releasees will link to HIV care by 3 months post release. A successful linkage to HIV medical care was defined as a confirmed visit to a clinic post release, validated by a recorded HIV viral load and CD4 count in the clinic's medical records.
3. Documenting retention in care, defined as a minimum of 2 HIV clinical visits occurring within 12 months post release, with at least 2 clinical visits spaced a minimum of 3 months apart. Related retention outcome measures included proportion with viral load suppression and, as needed, attendance at substance abuse rehabilitation, and mental health treatment.

Data was collected at baseline, and at 3 and 12 months post-release. The 1st and 2nd sessions occurred in jail and 4 post-release sessions in the community.

This Fast Release study is part of the Seek, Test, Treat and Retain (STTR) Collaboration Project, which involved over twenty studies in the fields of HIV and drug abuse. All files in the compressed zip package are released as deposited by the PI and were not further processed.

This study evaluated the efficacy of an integrated "Retention Clinic" in achieving virologic suppression among HIV-infected cocaine users.