TY - JOUR
T1 - Opioid substitution therapy is associated with increased detection of hepatitis C virus infection
T2 - a 15-year observational cohort study
AU - Larney, Sarah
AU - Grebely, Jason
AU - Falster, Michael
AU - Swart, Alexander
AU - Amin, Janaki
AU - Degenhardt, Louisa
AU - Burns, Lucinda
AU - Vajdic, Claire M.
PY - 2015/3/1
Y1 - 2015/3/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Hepatitis C virus
KW - Notification
KW - Opioid substitution therapy
KW - People who inject drugs
KW - Screening
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84923105684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.12.027
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.12.027
M3 - Article
C2 - 25578251
AN - SCOPUS:84923105684
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 148
SP - 213
EP - 216
JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
ER -