A cross-sectional study of hepatitis C prevalence and correlates among persons who inject drugs in rural and non-rural communities.

Autor: Barranco MA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA., Rosenberg ES; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA.; Center for Collaborative HIV Research in Practice and Policy, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA.; Office of Public Health, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA., Flanigan C; AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA., Shufelt S; Center for Collaborative HIV Research in Practice and Policy, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA., Bruce EM; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA.; AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA., Wilberschied LA; AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA., Parker MM; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA., Duncan E; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA., Udo T; Center for Collaborative HIV Research in Practice and Policy, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA.; Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of viral hepatitis [J Viral Hepat] 2022 Nov; Vol. 29 (11), pp. 994-1003. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Aug 09.
DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13735
Abstrakt: Persons who inject drugs (PWID) have been experiencing a higher burden of new hepatitis C (HCV) due to the opioid epidemic. The greatest increases in injection have been in rural communities. However, less is known about the prevalence of HCV or its risk factors in rural compared to non-rural communities. This study compared HCV infection history, current infection, and associated behavioural and sociodemographic correlates among PWID recruited from rural and non-rural communities from Upstate New York (NY). This cross-sectional study recruited 309 PWID, using respondent-driven sampling. Blood samples were collected through finger stick for HCV antibody and RNA tests. A survey was also self-administered for HCV infection history, sociodemographics and behavioural correlates to compare by setting rurality. HCV seropositivity was significantly higher among PWID from rural than non-rural communities (71.0% vs. 46.8%), as was current infection (41.4% vs. 25.9%). High levels of past year syringe (44.4%) and equipment (62.2%) sharing were reported. Factors associated with infection history include syringe service program utilization, non-Hispanic white race, sharing needles and methamphetamine injection, which was higher in rural vs. non-rural communities (38.5% vs. 15.5%). HCV burden among PWID appears higher in rural than non-rural communities and may be increasing possibly due to greater levels of methamphetamine injection. On-going systematic surveillance of HCV prevalence and correlates is crucial to respond to the changing opioid epidemic landscape. Additionally, improving access to harm reduction services, especially with special focus on stimulants, may be important to reduce HCV prevalence among PWID in rural settings.
(© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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