Uptake of hep C treatment in opiate substitution treatment

Uptake of hep C treatment in opiate substitution treatment

The most recent issue of the Journal of Viral Hepatitis investigates the uptake and delivery of hepatitis C treatment in opiate substitution treatment.

Uptake of treatment for hepatitis C virus infection is very low particularly among people who have injected drugs.

Opiate substitution treatment programs, with a high prevalence of people living with hepatitis C virus, have been a site of growing interest in the delivery of hepatitis C treatment.
There has been no exploration of opiate substitution treatment clients’ and health professionals’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to uptake and delivery of hepatitis C treatment in opiate substitution treatment clinics from personal and organizational perspectives.
Unstable housing was a barrier to engaging with hep C virus treatment
Journal of Viral Hepatology

Dr Treloar and colleagues from qualitative study involved interviews with 27 opiate substitution treatment clients in New South Wales and a focus group, and interviews with 22 Australian opiate substitution treatment health professionals.

Clients and health professionals viewed hepatitis C treatment in opiate substitution treatment as a ‘one-stop-shop’ model which could increase access to and uptake of treatment and build on existing relationships of trust between opiate substitution treatment client and health professional.

Elements of the organizational culture were also noted as barriers to hepatitis C virus treatment delivery including concerns about confidentiality, lack of discussion of hepatitis C virus treatment and that hepatitis C virus treatment was not perceived by clinicians as a legitimate activity of opiate substitution treatment clinics.
Opiate substitution treatment client participants also reported a number of personal barriers to engaging with hepatitis C virus treatment including family responsibilities, unstable housing, comorbidities and perceptions of the unsatisfactory level of treatment efficacy.
Dr Treloar's team concludes, "These findings emphasize the need for future research and delivery of services which addresses the complexity of care and treatment for people in marginalized social circumstances."

J Vir Hep 2010: 17(12): 839–44
22 November 2010