BACKGROUND: The rationale for screening populations at risk for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) includes the possibility of altering risk behaviors that impact disease progression and transmission. This study prospectively examined young injection drug users (IDU) to determine if behaviors changed after they were made aware of HCV seroconversion. METHODS: We estimated the effects of HCV seroconversion coupled with post-test counseling on risk behaviors (alcohol use, non-injection and injection drug use, lending and sharing injecting equipment, and having sex without a condom) and depression symptoms using conditional logistic regression, fitting odds-ratios for immediately after disclosure and 6 and 12 months later, and adjusting for secular effects. RESULTS: 112 participants met inclusion criteria, i.e. they were documented HCV seronegative at study onset and subsequently seroconverted during the follow-up period, with infection confirmed by HCV RNA testing. HCV seroconversion was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of consuming alcohol (OR=0.52; 95% CI: 0.27-1.00, p=0.05) and using non-injection drugs (OR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.20-0.81, p=0.01) immediately after disclosure, however, results were not sustained over time. There were significant (p<0.05) declines in the use of alcohol, injection and non-injection drugs, and sharing equipment associated with time that were independent from the effect of seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS: Making young IDU aware of their HCV seroconversion may have a modest effect on alcohol and non-injection drug use that is not sustained over time.
BACKGROUND: The rationale for screening populations at risk for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) includes the possibility of altering risk behaviors that impact disease progression and transmission. This study prospectively examined young injection drug users (IDU) to determine if behaviors changed after they were made aware of HCV seroconversion. METHODS: We estimated the effects of HCV seroconversion coupled with post-test counseling on risk behaviors (alcohol use, non-injection and injection drug use, lending and sharing injecting equipment, and having sex without a condom) and depression symptoms using conditional logistic regression, fitting odds-ratios for immediately after disclosure and 6 and 12 months later, and adjusting for secular effects. RESULTS: 112 participants met inclusion criteria, i.e. they were documented HCV seronegative at study onset and subsequently seroconverted during the follow-up period, with infection confirmed by HCV RNA testing. HCV seroconversion was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of consuming alcohol (OR=0.52; 95% CI: 0.27-1.00, p=0.05) and using non-injection drugs (OR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.20-0.81, p=0.01) immediately after disclosure, however, results were not sustained over time. There were significant (p<0.05) declines in the use of alcohol, injection and non-injection drugs, and sharing equipment associated with time that were independent from the effect of seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS: Making young IDU aware of their HCV seroconversion may have a modest effect on alcohol and non-injection drug use that is not sustained over time.
Authors: Joseph Cox; Carole Morissette; Prithwish De; Claude Tremblay; Robert Allard; Lisa Graves; Randolph Stephenson; Elise Roy Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2009 Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: Danielle C Ompad; Crystal M Fuller; David Vlahov; David Thomas; Steffanie A Strathdee Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2002-09-03 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Judith A Hahn; Kimberly Page-Shafer; Paula J Lum; Philippe Bourgois; Ellen Stein; Jennifer L Evans; Michael P Busch; Leslie H Tobler; Bruce Phelps; Andrew R Moss Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2002-11-04 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Judith I Tsui; Richard Saitz; Debbie M Cheng; David Nunes; Howard Libman; Julie K Alperen; Jeffrey H Samet Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2007-02-23 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: T Spelman; M D Morris; G Zang; T Rice; K Page; L Maher; A Lloyd; J Grebely; G J Dore; A Y Kim; N H Shoukry; M Hellard; J Bruneau Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2015-03-26 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Lydia N Drumright; Holly Hagan; David L Thomas; Mary H Latka; Elizabeth T Golub; Richard S Garfein; John D Clapp; Jennifer V Campbell; Sebastian Bonner; Farzana Kapadia; Thelma King Thiel; Steffanie A Strathdee Journal: J Hepatol Date: 2010-11-24 Impact factor: 25.083
Authors: Sabrina A Assoumou; Carlos R Sian; Christina M Gebel; Benjamin P Linas; Jeffrey H Samet; Judith A Bernstein Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2021-01-11 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Lauren E Cipriano; Gregory S Zaric; Mark Holodniy; Eran Bendavid; Douglas K Owens; Margaret L Brandeau Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-09-18 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Y Wang; X D Tan; C Zhou; W Zhou; J S Peng; Y S Ren; Z L Ni; B Liu; F Yang; X D Gao Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2016-07-13 Impact factor: 4.434