Sarah Larney1, Jason Grebely2, Michael Falster3, Alexander Swart4, Janaki Amin2, Louisa Degenhardt5, Lucinda Burns6, Claire M Vajdic4. 1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia; Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence 02903, USA. Electronic address: s.larney@unsw.edu.au. 2. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia. 3. Centre for Health Research, University of Western Sydney, Sydney 2560, Australia; Adult Cancer Program, Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia. 4. Adult Cancer Program, Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia. 5. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne 3052, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA. 6. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Strategies are needed to enhance screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs to improve engagement in HCV treatment, and stem the growing burden of HCV-related morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We linked routinely collected data on enrolment in opioid substitution therapy (OST) and HCV notifications. We calculated rates of incident HCV notifications, and compared rates in and out of OST. RESULTS: Following adjustment for sex, age and calendar period, rates of incident HCV notification were significantly higher during periods of OST, compared to periods out of OST (adjusted incident rate ratio: 1.91; 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.97). This effect was seen across multiple treatment periods. CONCLUSIONS: HCV screening in OST settings increases detection of HCV infection among people who inject drugs.
BACKGROUND: Strategies are needed to enhance screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs to improve engagement in HCV treatment, and stem the growing burden of HCV-related morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We linked routinely collected data on enrolment in opioid substitution therapy (OST) and HCV notifications. We calculated rates of incident HCV notifications, and compared rates in and out of OST. RESULTS: Following adjustment for sex, age and calendar period, rates of incident HCV notification were significantly higher during periods of OST, compared to periods out of OST (adjusted incident rate ratio: 1.91; 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.97). This effect was seen across multiple treatment periods. CONCLUSIONS:HCV screening in OST settings increases detection of HCV infection among people who inject drugs.
Authors: Nicola R Jones; Marian Shanahan; Timothy Dobbins; Louisa Degenhardt; Mark Montebello; Natasa Gisev; Sarah Larney Journal: Drug Alcohol Rev Date: 2019-09