A Testing Campaign Intervention Consisting of Peer-Facilitated Engagement, Point-of-Care HCV RNA Testing, and Linkage to Nursing Support to Enhance Hepatitis C Treatment Uptake among People Who Inject Drugs: The ETHOS Engage Study

Anna Conway; Heather Valerio; Maryam Alavi; David Silk; Carla Treloar; Behzad Hajarizadeh; Alison D. Marshall; Marianne Martinello; Andrew Milat; Adrian Dunlop; Carolyn Murray; Bianca Prain; Charles Henderson; Janaki Amin; Phillip Read; Pip Marks; Louisa Degenhardt; Jeremy Hayllar; David Reid; Carla Gorton; Thao Lam; Michael Christmass; Alexandra Wade; Mark Montebello; Gregory J. Dore; Jason Grebely

doi:10.3390/v14071555

Viruses (Jul 2022)

A Testing Campaign Intervention Consisting of Peer-Facilitated Engagement, Point-of-Care HCV RNA Testing, and Linkage to Nursing Support to Enhance Hepatitis C Treatment Uptake among People Who Inject Drugs: The ETHOS Engage Study

Anna Conway,
Heather Valerio,
Maryam Alavi,
David Silk,
Carla Treloar,
Behzad Hajarizadeh,
Alison D. Marshall,
Marianne Martinello,
Andrew Milat,
Adrian Dunlop,
Carolyn Murray,
Bianca Prain,
Charles Henderson,
Janaki Amin,
Phillip Read,
Pip Marks,
Louisa Degenhardt,
Jeremy Hayllar,
David Reid,
Carla Gorton,
Thao Lam,
Michael Christmass,
Alexandra Wade,
Mark Montebello,
Gregory J. Dore,
Jason Grebely

Affiliations

Anna Conway: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Heather Valerio: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Maryam Alavi: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
David Silk: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Carla Treloar: Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Behzad Hajarizadeh: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Alison D. Marshall: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Marianne Martinello: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Andrew Milat: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
Adrian Dunlop: Hepatitis NSW, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia
Carolyn Murray: Population Health Strategy & Performance, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
Bianca Prain: Population Health Strategy & Performance, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
Charles Henderson: NSW Users and AIDS Association, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia
Janaki Amin: Department of Health Systems and Populations, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Phillip Read: Kirketon Road Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
Pip Marks: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Louisa Degenhardt: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Jeremy Hayllar: Alcohol and Drug Service, Metro North Mental Health, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
David Reid: Drug and Alcohol Service, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
Carla Gorton: Cairns Sexual Health Service, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
Thao Lam: Drug Health, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
Michael Christmass: Next Step Community Alcohol and Drug Service, Perth, WA 6004, Australia
Alexandra Wade: Mid North Coast Liver Clinic, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
Mark Montebello: North Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2077, Australia
Gregory J. Dore: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Jason Grebely: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071555
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 7
p. 1555

Abstract

Read online

This study evaluated HCV treatment initiation among people who inject drugs (PWID) following an intervention of campaign days involving peer connection, point-of-care HCV RNA testing, and linkage to nursing support. ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of PWID attending 25 drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia (May 2018–September 2019). Point-of-care results were provided to the nurse, facilitating confirmatory testing and treatment. The study aimed to evaluate treatment uptake and factors associated with treatment at 24 months post-enrolment. There were 317 people with current HCV infection and eligible for treatment (median age 43, 65% male, 15% homeless, 69% receiving opioid agonist treatment, 70% injected in last month). Overall, 15% (47/317), 27% (85/317), 38% (120/317), and 49% (155/317) of people with current HCV infection had initiated treatment at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months following testing, respectively. Homelessness (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.23, 0.71) and incarceration in the past 12 months (vs. never, aHR:0.46; 0.28, 0.76) were associated with decreased treatment initiation in the 24 months post-enrolment. This testing campaign intervention facilitated HCV treatment uptake among PWID. Further interventions are needed to achieve HCV elimination among people experiencing homelessness or incarceration.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

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