Maia Butsashvili1, George Kamkamidze2, Maia Kajaia2, Lia Gvinjilia3, Tatia Kuchuloria3, Irma Khonelidze4, Maka Gogia5, Ekaterine Dolmazashvili6, Vakhtang Kerashvili7, Mamuka Zakalashvili8, Shaun Shadaker9, Muazzam Nasrullah10, Shilton Sonjelle11, Maia Japaridze12, Francisco Averhoff13. 1. Health Research Union/Clinic NEOLAB, 8 Nutsubidze str. Tbilisi 0177, Georgia. Electronic address: maiabutsashvili@gmail.com. 2. Health Research Union/Clinic NEOLAB, 8 Nutsubidze str. Tbilisi 0177, Georgia. 3. TEPHINET, 9 Asatiani street, Tbilisi 0177, Georgia. 4. National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, 99 Kakheti Highway, Tbilisi 0198, Georgia. Electronic address: I.khonelidze@ncdc.ge. 5. Georgia Harm Reduction Network, 24 Shartava str. 3rd floor, apt 6., Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: mgogia@hrn.ge. 6. Clinic HEPA, 18/20 Lubliana str. O. Gudushauri National Medical Center, 3rd floor. Tbilisi, Georgia. 7. Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, 16 Kazbegi Ave. Tbilisi 0162, Georgia. 8. Clinic Mrcheveli, 9 Kazbegi Ave. Tbilisi 0162, Georgia. 9. Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: lgi1@cdc.gov. 10. Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: hij9@cdc.gov. 11. Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: Sonjelle.Shilton@finddx.org. 12. Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: maia.japaridze@finddx.org. 13. Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: fma0@cdc.gov.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Georgia launched national HCV elimination program in 2015. PWID may experience barriers to accessing HCV care. To improve linkage to care among PWID, pilot program to integrate HCV treatment with HR services at opiate substitution therapy (OST) centers and needle syringe program (NSP) sites was initiated. Our study aimed to assess satisfaction of patients with integrated HCV treatment services at HR centers. METHODS: Survey was conducted among convenience sample of patients receiving HCV treatment at 5 integrated care sites and 4 specialized clinics not providing HR services. Simplified pre-treatment diagnostic algorithm and treatment monitoring procedure was introduced for HCV treatment programs at OST/NSP centers which includes fewer pre-treatment and monitoring tests compared to standard algorithm. RESULTS: In total, 358 patients participated in the survey - 48.6% receiving HCV treatment at the specialized clinics while 51.4% at HR site with integrated treatment. Similar proportions of surveyed patients at HR sites (88.0%) and clinics (84.5%) stated that they did not face any barriers to enrollment in the elimination program. Most patients from HR pilot sites and specialized clinics stated that they received comprehensive information about the treatment (98.4% vs 94.3%; p<0.010). 95% of respondents at both sites were confident that confidentiality was completely protected during treatment. Higher proportion of patients at pilot sites thought that HCV treatment services provided at facility were good compared to those from the specialized clinics (85.3% vs 81.0%). We found significant difference in the time to treatment, measured as average time from viremia testing to administration of first dose of HCV medication: 42.9% of patients at pilot sites vs 4.6% at specialized clinics received the first dose of medication within two weeks. CONCLUSION: Quality of services and perceived satisfaction of patients receiving treatment, suggests that integration of HCV treatment with HR services is feasible.
BACKGROUND: Georgia launched national HCV elimination program in 2015. PWID may experience barriers to accessing HCV care. To improve linkage to care among PWID, pilot program to integrate HCV treatment with HR services at opiate substitution therapy (OST) centers and needle syringe program (NSP) sites was initiated. Our study aimed to assess satisfaction of patients with integrated HCV treatment services at HR centers. METHODS: Survey was conducted among convenience sample of patients receiving HCV treatment at 5 integrated care sites and 4 specialized clinics not providing HR services. Simplified pre-treatment diagnostic algorithm and treatment monitoring procedure was introduced for HCV treatment programs at OST/NSP centers which includes fewer pre-treatment and monitoring tests compared to standard algorithm. RESULTS: In total, 358 patients participated in the survey - 48.6% receiving HCV treatment at the specialized clinics while 51.4% at HR site with integrated treatment. Similar proportions of surveyed patients at HR sites (88.0%) and clinics (84.5%) stated that they did not face any barriers to enrollment in the elimination program. Most patients from HR pilot sites and specialized clinics stated that they received comprehensive information about the treatment (98.4% vs 94.3%; p<0.010). 95% of respondents at both sites were confident that confidentiality was completely protected during treatment. Higher proportion of patients at pilot sites thought that HCV treatment services provided at facility were good compared to those from the specialized clinics (85.3% vs 81.0%). We found significant difference in the time to treatment, measured as average time from viremia testing to administration of first dose of HCV medication: 42.9% of patients at pilot sites vs 4.6% at specialized clinics received the first dose of medication within two weeks. CONCLUSION: Quality of services and perceived satisfaction of patients receiving treatment, suggests that integration of HCV treatment with HR services is feasible.
Authors: Lewis Beer; Sarah Inglis; Amy Malaguti; Christopher Byrne; Christian Sharkey; Emma Robinson; Kirsty Gillings; Andrew Radley; Adrian Hapca; Brian Stephens; John Dillon Journal: J Viral Hepat Date: 2022-05-26 Impact factor: 3.517