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The potential reach of opioid substitution settings to deliver HCV care to people who inject drugs in Australia
Citation
Butler, K and Day, C and Dietze, P and Bruno, R and Alati, R and Burns, L, The potential reach of opioid substitution settings to deliver HCV care to people who inject drugs in Australia, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 58 pp. 90-94. ISSN 0740-5472 (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2015.06.008
Abstract
Methods: Additional questions on HCV testing were included in the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), an annual sentinel surveillance system. The IDRS recruits PWID in all Australian capital cities from a range of sources, predominantly needle and syringe programs. All participants are reimbursed AUD$40 for a ~45minute interview-administered survey.
Results: Current OST was reported by 44% of the total sample, and two-thirds reported an opioid as their drug of choice. Those participants who reported current OST were significantly more likely than those not in OST to report heroin as their drug of choice (65% vs. 43%, p < 0.0.001) and the drug injected most often (53% vs. 30%, p < 0.001). Compared to those in OST, those not in OST were more likely to report methamphetamine as their drug of choice (29% vs. 14%, p < 0.001) or drug injected most often (33% vs. 17%, p < 0.001). Current OST clients were more likely to have been tested for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) than those not in OST (96% vs. 93%, p < 0.05) and to report an anti-HCV positive result (75% vs. 64%, p < 0.001). Those receiving OST were no more likely than those not to undergo further HCV-related testing (e.g. RNA) (62% vs. 56%, p = 0.136). Both groups reported further HCV-related testing was undertaken primarily at a community general practice.
Discussion: Despite a large proportion of current PWID receiving OST, there remains a substantial minority who are neither seeking nor eligible for treatment. Efforts to improve access to HCV care for PWID in Australia therefore need to be expanded beyond OST, especially given the large proportion of participants who reported inadequate HCV testing.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | HCV, PWID, OST, hepatitis C, injecting |
Research Division: | Psychology |
Research Group: | Applied and developmental psychology |
Research Field: | Applied and developmental psychology not elsewhere classified |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
Objective Field: | Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified |
UTAS Author: | Bruno, R (Associate Professor Raimondo Bruno) |
ID Code: | 101834 |
Year Published: | 2015 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 10 |
Deposited By: | Psychology |
Deposited On: | 2015-07-12 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-07 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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