Integrated supervised consumption services and hepatitis C testing and treatment among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada: A cross‐sectional analysis. Issue 2 (20th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Greenwald, Zoë R.; Bouck, Zachary; McLean, Elizabeth; Mason, Kate; Lettner, Bernadette; Broad, Jennifer; Dodd, Zoë; Nassau, Tanner; Scheim, Ayden I.; Werb, Dan
• Is Part Of: Journal of viral hepatitis. Volume 30:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 171
• Publication Date: 2022-12-20
• Subjects: harm reduction -- hepatitis C testing -- hepatitis C treatment -- integrated supervised consumption services -- people who inject drugs; Hepatitis, Viral -- Periodicals; Hepatitis, Viral, Animal; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; 616.3623
• DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13780
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-0504

Abstract

Abstract: Despite the availability of publicly funded hepatitis C (HCV) treatment in Canada, treatment gaps persist, particularly among people who inject drugs. We estimate correlates of HCV care cascade engagement (testing, diagnosis, and treatment) among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada and examine the effect of accessing differing supervised consumption service (SCS) models on self‐reported HCV testing and treatment. This is a cross‐sectional baseline analysis of 701 people who inject drugs surveyed in the Toronto, Ontario integrated Supervised Injection Services (OiSIS‐Toronto) study between November 2018 and March 2020. We examine correlates of self‐reported HCV care cascade outcomes including SCS model, demographic, socio‐structural, drug use, and harm reduction characteristics. Overall, 647 participants (92%) reported ever receiving HCV testing, of whom 336 (52%) had been diagnosed with HCV. Among participants who reported ever being diagnosed with HCV, 281 (84%) reported chronic HCV, of whom 130 (46%) reported HCV treatment uptake and 151 (54%) remained untreated. Compared to those with no SCS use, participants who had ever injected at an integrated SCS model with co‐located HCV care had greater prevalence of both ever receiving HCV testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.24) and ever receiving HCV treatment (aPR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.04–2.69). Over half of participants diagnosed with chronic HCV reported remaining untreated. Our findings suggest that integrated SCS models with co‐located HCV care represent key strategies for linkage to HCV care, but that more is needed to support scale‐up.