Cinta Folch1, Verónica Saludes2, Juliana Reyes-Ureña1, Adrián Antuori3, Nuria Ibáñez4, Xavier Majó4, Joan Colom4, Lurdes Matas2, Jordi Casabona1, Elisa Martró5. 1. Centre for Epidemiological Studies on Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS of Catalonia (CEEISCAT), Catalonia Public Health Agency (ASPCAT), Badalona, Spain; Group 27, Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. 2. Group 27, Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias Pujol, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain; Genetics and Microbiology Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. 3. Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias Pujol, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain; Genetics and Microbiology Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. 4. Programme for Prevention, Control and Treatment of HIV, STIs and Viral Hepatitis. ASPCAT, Badalona, Spain. 5. Group 27, Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias Pujol, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain; Genetics and Microbiology Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. Electronic address: emartro@igtp.cat.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the HCV cascade of care among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Catalonia, as well as to compare the observed gaps in care between Spanish-born and migrant PWID. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of PWID (N = 410) attending four harm reduction services (HRS) was performed in 2016-17 (HepCdetect II Study). Participants were tested for both HCV antibodies (rapid testing) and RNA (from dried blood spot samples). The HCV care cascade was estimated from HCV testing results combined with self-reported data on previous testing, diagnosis and treatment collected through a questionnaire. Logistic regressions were used to test for an association between migration status and the proportions observed in each step of the HCV care cascade adjusting for age, sex, years of injection, homelessness, and treatment for drug dependence. RESULTS: Overall, 85.4% were men and 28.0% were migrants. Among Spanish-born (n = 295) and migrant (n = 115) PWID participants in the study, 96.6% vs. 88.6% had previously been HCV screened (AOR=3.11; 95% CI: 1.11-8.65), 79.3% vs. 80.9% were antibody positive, and 70.7% vs. 67.6% were HCV-RNA positive or cured with treatment; among the latter, 36.6% vs. 18.2% had started treatment (AOR=2.41; 95% CI: 1.09-5.34), and 20.6% vs. 9.1% had been cured by treatment, respectively. Unawareness of having hepatitis C was more common among migrants than Spanish-born PWID (46.0% and 31.5%, respectively; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study estimates the HCV care cascade among Spanish-born and migrant PWID in Catalonia for the very first time, and highlights a higher attrition of migrant PWID in all HCV care cascade stages. The observed limited linkage to care and treatment by PWID that attend the HRS network warrants future implementation of decentralized diagnosis and antiviral treatment. Strategies focusing on migrants by increasing HCV screening coverage and treatment access will be especially relevant in our setting.
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the HCV cascade of care among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Catalonia, as well as to compare the observed gaps in care between Spanish-born and migrant PWID. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of PWID (N = 410) attending four harm reduction services (HRS) was performed in 2016-17 (HepCdetect II Study). Participants were tested for both HCV antibodies (rapid testing) and RNA (from dried blood spot samples). The HCV care cascade was estimated from HCV testing results combined with self-reported data on previous testing, diagnosis and treatment collected through a questionnaire. Logistic regressions were used to test for an association between migration status and the proportions observed in each step of the HCV care cascade adjusting for age, sex, years of injection, homelessness, and treatment for drug dependence. RESULTS: Overall, 85.4% were men and 28.0% were migrants. Among Spanish-born (n = 295) and migrant (n = 115) PWID participants in the study, 96.6% vs. 88.6% had previously been HCV screened (AOR=3.11; 95% CI: 1.11-8.65), 79.3% vs. 80.9% were antibody positive, and 70.7% vs. 67.6% were HCV-RNA positive or cured with treatment; among the latter, 36.6% vs. 18.2% had started treatment (AOR=2.41; 95% CI: 1.09-5.34), and 20.6% vs. 9.1% had been cured by treatment, respectively. Unawareness of having hepatitis C was more common among migrants than Spanish-born PWID (46.0% and 31.5%, respectively; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study estimates the HCV care cascade among Spanish-born and migrant PWID in Catalonia for the very first time, and highlights a higher attrition of migrant PWID in all HCV care cascade stages. The observed limited linkage to care and treatment by PWID that attend the HRS network warrants future implementation of decentralized diagnosis and antiviral treatment. Strategies focusing on migrants by increasing HCV screening coverage and treatment access will be especially relevant in our setting.
Authors: José Luis Calleja; Javier García-Samaniego; Jeffrey V Lazarus; Marcela Villota-Rivas; Inmaculada Fernández; Francisco Gea; Pablo Ryan; Sonia Alonso López; Danielle Guy Journal: Commun Med (Lond) Date: 2022-02-24