applied strategic
Pilot study of awareness and access to new treatments for hepatitis c in persons
with a history of drug injecting
Mark Gilman, Richard Littlewood
1320hr, 27 May 2016
EUROPAD May 2016
Note
• This presentation highlights the work done by applied strategic in the area of understanding treatment engagement for people with a history of injecting drugs and HCV
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Introduction
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• This work aimed to describe the current status of knowledge and access to therapy for hepatitis C in the population with a history of intravenous drug injecting and an associated higher risk for hepatitis C infection
Opening remarks
• Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is associated with long-term liver damage and cancer.
• People with history of injecting drug use are at increased risk for HCV infection as a result of risk behaviour
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Starting point: HCV is prevalent in people with a history of injecting drugs
ES IT DE FR UK
80
65 6560
50
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HCV prevalence among people with history of injecting drugs across
big 5 European countries (%)
Additional EU countries: Portugal 80%; Sweden 80%; Finland 80%; Denmark 75%; Norway 70%; Switzerland 60%; Austria 40%
1 to 1.5M in big 5 EU countries have a “current” history of injecting drugs
IT FR UK DE ES
0.4
0.3 0.3
0.20.15
applied strategic 6*Additional EU countries: Portugal 0.03M; Sweden 0.025M; Finland 0.006M; Denmark 0.015M; Norway 0.01M; Switzerland 0.015M; Austria 0.02M
Estimated number of persons with a current (within 1 year) history of injecting drugs
across big 5 EU countries (M)
Method: 38 people with history of drug injecting were surveyed
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Study population
Data collection and analysis
• Participants at the European Conference for Narcotics Anonymous, August 2015
• N=38: Exclusion criteria included never having injected drugs during their lifetime
• Interviewees were currently long-term abstinent with history of injecting drug use
• Facilitated online survey
Results: demographic data (1)
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• 38 of 40 people asked agreed to participate
• Average age was 47 years• 74% were male
Results: demographic data (2)
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• All reported injecting drugs in the past; all persons had ceased injecting drugs.
• 71% reported a drug injecting history of >5 years.
• Majority (92%) reported sharing drug injection equipment at least once
• All persons were aware of their HCV status; 11% were HCV positive
Results: disease awareness
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• HCV disease awareness is high - 71% of people surveyed reported they felt
they had sufficient HCV disease knowledge
Results: treatment awareness
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• HCV treatment awareness is high - 89% recognised IFN as treatment for
HCV • Knowledge of new HCV therapies was
comparatively low- 14-34% recognised names of recently
approved HCV treatments
Results: access to treatment
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• Access to treatment is variable - 50% could find information on new HCV
treatments- 65% considered it difficult to gain access
to new treatments
“I understand enough about hepatitis C infection and the consequences it may cause”
1.8
Test statement
Results: level of HCV knowledge in people with a history of injecting drugs
Strongly agree
Strongly disagree
Responses (n=38)
“I think it is important for people who have a hepatitis C infection to get treatment”
1.1
Test statement
Results: value of treatment
Strongly agree
Strongly disagree
Responses (n=38)
“Currently, it is difficult for people with a history of injecting drug use to engage with services for hepatitis C treatment”
4.2
Test statement
Results: treatment access
Strongly agree
Strongly disagree
Responses (n=38)
Conclusions & Recommendations
• In this population with high HCV risk there is: - good level of HCV awareness and its long-term
implications - limited knowledge concerning new HCV treatments - restricted access to new HCV therapies
• Outcomes can be improved by increasing awareness and access to new HCV treatments within this target group
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