Sahar Bajis1, Lisa Maher2, Carla Treloar3, Behzad Hajarizadeh4, Francois M J Lamoury4, Yasmin Mowat4, Marcel Schulz4, Alison D Marshall5, Evan B Cunningham4, Victoria Cock6, Nadine Ezard7, Carla Gorton8, Jeremy Hayllar9, Julie Smith10, Michelle Whelan11, Marianne Martinello4, Tanya L Applegate4, Gregory J Dore4, Jason Grebely4. 1. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: sbajis@kirby.unsw.edu.au. 2. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 4. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 5. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 6. Drug and Alcohol Services of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 7. Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia. 8. Cairns Sexual Health Service, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. 9. Alcohol and Drug Service, Metro North Mental Health, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. 10. Matthew Talbot Hostel, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Support Services, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 11. Campbelltown Drug Health Services, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing remains inadequate globally. Simplified point-of-care tests should enhance HCV diagnosis and elimination. We aimed to assess the acceptability of finger-stick and venepuncture HCV RNA testing among people who inject drugs (PWID). METHODS: Participants were enrolled in an observational cohort study with recruitment at 13 sites between June 2016 and February 2018. Capillary whole-blood collected by finger-stick and plasma collected by venepuncture were performed for Xpert® HCV viral load testing. Participants completed a questionnaire on acceptability of, and preferences for, blood collection methods. RESULTS: Among 565 participants (mean age, 44 years; 69% male), 64% reported injecting drugs in the last month, and 63% were receiving opioid substitution treatment. Eighty three percent reported that finger-stick testing was very acceptable. Overall, 65% of participants preferred finger-stick over venepuncture testing, with 61% of these preferring to receive results in 60 min. The most common reason for preferring finger-stick over venepuncture testing was it was quick (62%) followed by venous access difficulties (21%). The main reasons for preferring venepuncture over finger-stick testing were that it was quick (61%) and accurate (29%). Females were more likely to prefer finger-stick testing than males (adjusted OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.30, 2.99; p = 0.002). Among people with recent (previous month) injecting drug use, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were less likely than non-Aboriginal people to prefer finger-stick testing (adjusted OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34, 0.9; p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Finger-stick whole-blood collection is acceptable to people who inject drugs, with males and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with recent injecting drug use less likely to prefer finger-stick testing. Further research is needed to evaluate interventions integrating simplified point-of-care HCV testing to engage people in care in a single-visit, thereby facilitating HCV treatment scale-up.
BACKGROUND: Uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing remains inadequate globally. Simplified point-of-care tests should enhance HCV diagnosis and elimination. We aimed to assess the acceptability of finger-stick and venepuncture HCV RNA testing among people who inject drugs (PWID). METHODS:Participants were enrolled in an observational cohort study with recruitment at 13 sites between June 2016 and February 2018. Capillary whole-blood collected by finger-stick and plasma collected by venepuncture were performed for Xpert® HCV viral load testing. Participants completed a questionnaire on acceptability of, and preferences for, blood collection methods. RESULTS: Among 565 participants (mean age, 44 years; 69% male), 64% reported injecting drugs in the last month, and 63% were receiving opioid substitution treatment. Eighty three percent reported that finger-stick testing was very acceptable. Overall, 65% of participants preferred finger-stick over venepuncture testing, with 61% of these preferring to receive results in 60 min. The most common reason for preferring finger-stick over venepuncture testing was it was quick (62%) followed by venous access difficulties (21%). The main reasons for preferring venepuncture over finger-stick testing were that it was quick (61%) and accurate (29%). Females were more likely to prefer finger-stick testing than males (adjusted OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.30, 2.99; p = 0.002). Among people with recent (previous month) injecting drug use, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were less likely than non-Aboriginal people to prefer finger-stick testing (adjusted OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34, 0.9; p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Finger-stick whole-blood collection is acceptable to people who inject drugs, with males and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with recent injecting drug use less likely to prefer finger-stick testing. Further research is needed to evaluate interventions integrating simplified point-of-care HCV testing to engage people in care in a single-visit, thereby facilitating HCV treatment scale-up.
Authors: Jason Grebely; Phillip Read; Evan B Cunningham; Martin Weltman; Gail V Matthews; Adrian Dunlop; Mark Montebello; Marianne Martinello; Rosie Gilliver; Philippa Marks; Tanya L Applegate; Gregory J Dore Journal: Health Sci Rep Date: 2020-03-15
Authors: Jasmine Yee; Joanne M Carson; Behzad Hajarizadeh; Joshua Hanson; James O'Beirne; David Iser; Phillip Read; Anne Balcomb; Joseph S Doyle; Jane Davies; Marianne Martinello; Philiipa Marks; Gregory J Dore; Gail V Matthews Journal: Hepatol Commun Date: 2021-11-02