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Halford R, Christensen L, Cox S, Sheehan J, Brew I, Gillyon‐Powell M, Threadgold G, O'Moore É, Troke PJF, Jones A. Chronic hepatitis C elimination prison initiative: HCV-intensive test and treat, a whole prisoner population HCV test-and-treat program in England. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1724. [PMID: 38125280 PMCID: PMC10730947 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Prison residents are at high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. HCV test-and-treat initiatives within prisons provide an opportunity to engage with prison residents and achieve HCV micro-elimination. The aim of the prison HCV-intensive test and treat initiative was to screen over 95% of all prison residents for HCV infection within a defined number of days determined by the size of the prison population and to initiate treatment within 7-14 days of a positive HCV RNA diagnosis. Methods An HCV-intensive test and treat toolkit was developed based on learnings from pilot HCV-intensive test and treat events. From January 2020 to September 2021, 13 HCV-intensive test and treat events took place at prisons in England selected based on high levels of reception blood-borne virus testing and good access to peers from The Hepatitis C Trust. Results Among a total of 8487 residents, 8139 (95.9%) underwent testing for HCV. Across the 13 prisons included, HCV antibody and RNA prevalence was 8.2% and 1.5%, respectively. The treatment initiation rate among HCV RNA-positive individuals (n = 124) was 79.0%. Conclusion The HCV-intensive test and treat initiative presented here provides a feasible and rapid test-and-treat process to achieve HCV elimination within individual prisons. The HCV-intensive test and treat toolkit can be adapted for rapid HCV testing and treatment events at other prisons in the United Kingdom and worldwide.
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Janca E, Keen C, Willoughby M, Young JT, Kinner SA. Sex differences in acute health service contact after release from prison in Australia: a data linkage study. Public Health 2023; 223:240-248. [PMID: 37688844 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Women released from prison typically experience worse health outcomes than their male counterparts. We examined sex differences in the patterns, characteristics, and predictors of acute health service contact (AHSC) (i.e. ambulance and/or emergency department use) after release from prison. STUDY DESIGN Data linkage study. METHODS Baseline survey data from 1307 adults (21% women) within six weeks of expected release from prisons in Queensland, Australia (2008-2010) were linked prospectively with state-wide ambulance and emergency department, correctional, mental health, and death records. Crude and adjusted incidence rates and incidence rate ratios of AHSC were calculated overall and by sex. An Andersen-Gill model was fit to examine whether sex predicted AHSC. The interaction effect between sex and each model covariate was tested. RESULTS The crude incidence rates of AHSC after release from prison were 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-1.5) and 1·1 (95%CI: 1.1-1.2) per person-year for women and men, respectively. The relationship between perceived physical health-related functioning at the baseline and AHSC was modified by sex (P = 0·039). The relationship between perceived health-related functioning and AHSC also differed among women. Compared to women who perceived their physical health as fair or good at the baseline, women who perceived their physical health as poor were at greater risk of AHSC (hazard ratio = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.4-3·9, P = 0.001) after release from prison. CONCLUSIONS Among people released from prison, women's and men's AHSC differs depending on how they perceive their own physical health. The specific needs of women and men must be considered in transitional support policy and planning to improve their health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Janca
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Justice Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - C Keen
- Justice Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - M Willoughby
- Justice Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - J T Young
- Justice Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - S A Kinner
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Justice Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
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Lafferty L, Sheehan Y, Cochrane A, Grebely J, Lloyd AR, Treloar C. Reducing barriers to the hepatitis C care cascade in prison via point-of-care RNA testing: a qualitative exploration of men in prison using an integrated framework. Addiction 2023; 118:1153-1160. [PMID: 36683132 PMCID: PMC10952703 DOI: 10.1111/add.16137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent within the prison setting. Although HCV testing and treatment are available within prisons, system barriers can impede progress along the HCV care cascade for those who are incarcerated. The PIVOT intervention used a 'one-stop-shop' model (i.e. point-of-care HCV RNA testing, Fibroscan-based liver disease assessment and treatment) at a reception prison in New South Wales, Australia. This analysis sought to understand the role of point-of-care HCV RNA testing at intake in reducing barriers to the HCV care cascade within the male prison setting. DESIGN AND SETTING Qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews in a reception prison in Australia. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-four men enrolled in the PIVOT study; all participants had undergone HCV point-of-care testing in the intervention arm. MEASUREMENTS Høj's Integrated Framework informed this analysis. FINDINGS Participants widely expressed the view that point-of-care HCV RNA testing on entry was beneficial for care engagement. Point-of-care testing was perceived as timely (compared with standard pathology) and reduced opportunities for adjudication by correctional officers due to fewer clinic visits for testing and results. Adoption of routine opt-out testing at prison intake was regarded as an important strategy for normalising HCV testing (and likely to increase pathways to treatment uptake) and fostered patient candidacy (i.e. self-perceived eligibility to access care). CONCLUSION Twenty-four men in prison in New South Wales, Australia, who underwent opt-out point-of-care HCV RNA testing on entry into prison, widely supported the programme as a means of overcoming barriers to HCV testing and treatment in the prison setting, as well as providing public health benefits through early detection of HCV infection among people entering into custody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Lafferty
- Centre for Social Research in HealthUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Yumi Sheehan
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Amanda Cochrane
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health NetworkNSW HealthMatravilleNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jason Grebely
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Andrew R. Lloyd
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Carla Treloar
- Centre for Social Research in HealthUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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Marshall AD, Schroeder SE, Lafferty L, Drysdale K, Baldry E, Stoové M, Dietze P, Higgs P, Treloar C. Perceived access to opioid agonist treatment in prison among people with a history of injection drug use: A qualitative study. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 150:209066. [PMID: 37156422 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is associated with a reduced likelihood of hepatitis C incidence, nonfatal overdose, and (re)incarceration among people who inject drugs (PWID), yet factors underpinning decisions to access OAT in prison and postrelease are not well understood. The aim of the qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of OAT access while in prison among PWID recently released from prison in Australia. METHODS Eligible participants enrolled in the SuperMix cohort (n = 1303) were invited to take part in a semi-structured interview in Victoria, Australia. Inclusion criteria were informed consent, aged ≥18 years, history of injection drug use, incarcerated for ≥3 months, and released from custody <12 months. The study team analysed data via a candidacy framework to account for macro-structural influences. RESULTS Among 48 participants (33 male; ten Aboriginal), most injected drugs in the prior month (n = 41), with heroin most frequently injected (n = 33) and nearly half (n = 23) were currently on OAT (primarily methadone). Most participants described the navigation and permeability of OAT services in prison as convoluted. If not on OAT pre-entry, prison policies often restricted access, leaving participants to withdraw in cells. In turn, some participants commenced OAT postrelease to ensure OAT continuity of care if reincarcerated. Other participants who experienced delayed access to OAT in prison stated no need to initiate while in prison or postrelease as they were now "clean". Last, implementation of OAT delivery in prison (e.g., lack of confidentiality) frequently led to changes in OAT type to avoid peer violence (pressure to divert OAT). CONCLUSION Findings draw attention to simplistic notions of OAT accessibility in prisons, illuminating how structural determinants influence choice in PWID decision-making. Suboptimal access and acceptability of OAT delivery in prisons will continue to place PWID at risk of harm postrelease (e.g., overdose).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison D Marshall
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Sophia E Schroeder
- Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lise Lafferty
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kerryn Drysdale
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Mark Stoové
- Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carla Treloar
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Soriano V, Moreno-Torres V, Treviño A, Barreiro P, de Jesus F, Corral O, de Mendoza C. Safety considerations in the management of hepatitis C and HIV co-infection. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2023; 22:363-372. [PMID: 37096834 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2023.2206647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Both HCV and HIV are highly prevalent infections with current estimates of 57 and 38 million people infected worldwide, respectively. Oral antivirals can be curative for HCV and rescue HIV patients from disease progression. Dual therapy in coinfected patients requires expertise. AREAS COVERED Four major issues challenge dual HCV and HIV treatment, including overlapping drug-related side effects, hepatitis B reactivation, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndromes (IRIS), and drug-drug interactions (DDI). A search was conducted in PubMed from January 2010 to March 2023. EXPERT OPINION The advent of second-generation direct-acting antivirals (DDA) that depict higher antiviral potency, fewer side effects, pangenotypic activity and are co-formulated has expanded the indication of HCV therapy and particularly in HIV-coinfected individuals. Sequential initiation of antiretrovirals (ARV) followed by DAA is generally preferred to start dual treatment concomitantly. Close monitoring of rare episodes of HBV reactivation and IRIS is warranted. The most frequent DDI between DAA and ARV affect drug metabolism by CYP450 induction/inhibition, leading to abnormal drug exposures. Throughout this mechanism interact most HCV and HIV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors. Exposure to some HIV and HCV nucleos(t)ide analogues (e.g. tenofovir and sofosbuvir, respectively) is subject to induction/inhibition of drug transporters and requires special attention in patients with renal insufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Soriano
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor Moreno-Torres
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Internal Medicine, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital & Research Institute, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Treviño
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Barreiro
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
- Infctious Diseases Unit, Emergency Hospital Enfermera Isabel Zendal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando de Jesus
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
| | - Octavio Corral
- Health Sciences School & Medical Center, Universidad Internacional La Rioja (UNIR), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen de Mendoza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital & Research Institute, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
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Busschots D, Kremer C, Bielen R, Koc ÖM, Heyens L, Nevens F, Hens N, Robaeys G. Hepatitis C prevalence in incarcerated settings between 2013–2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2159. [PMID: 36419013 PMCID: PMC9685883 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14623-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The introduction of highly effective direct-acting antiviral therapy has changed the hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment paradigm. However, a recent update on HCV epidemiology in incarcerated settings is necessary to accurately determine the extent of the problem, provide information to policymakers and public healthcare, and meet the World Health Organization's goals by 2030. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine the prevalence of HCV Ab and RNA in incarcerated settings. Methods For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for papers published between January 2013 and August 2021. We included studies with information on the prevalence of HCV Ab or RNA in incarcerated settings. A random-effects meta-analysis was done to calculate the pooled prevalence and meta-regression to explore heterogeneity. Results Ninety-two unique sources reporting data for 36 countries were included. The estimated prevalence of HCV Ab ranged from 0.3% to 74.4%. HCV RNA prevalence (available in 46 sources) ranged from 0% to 56.3%. Genotypes (available in 19 sources) 1(a) and 3 were most frequently reported in incarcerated settings. HCV/HIV coinfection (available in 36 sources) was highest in Italy, Estonia, Pakistan, and Spain. Statistical analysis revealed that almost all observed heterogeneity reflects real differences in prevalence between studies, considering I2 was very high in the meta-analysis. Conclusions HCV in incarcerated settings is still a significant problem with a higher prevalence than in the general population. It is of utmost importance to start screening for HCV (Ab and RNA) in incarcerated settings to give clear, reliable and recent figures to plan further treatment. This is all in the context of meeting the 2030 WHO targets which are only less than a decade away. Trial registration PROSPERO: CRD42020162616 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-14623-6.
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Global prevalence of hepatitis C in prisoners: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Virol 2022; 167:1025-1039. [PMID: 35165781 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05382-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), one of the most significant causes of liver inflammation, has a high annual mortality rate. The unfavorable hygiene conditions and inadequate health monitoring in many prisons increase the risk of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis C. The growing incidence of this disease among prisoners results in overspill transmission to the general population from undiagnosed prisoners that have been released. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis C among the world's prison population. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on the prevalence of hepatitis C was carried out using the keywords "Prevalence", "Hepatitis C", and "Prisoner" in the Iranian and international databases SID, MagIran, Iran Doc, Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (WoS) from January 1990 to September 2020. After transferring the articles to the information management software EndNote and eliminating duplicate studies, the remaining studies were reviewed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, three stages of primary and secondary evaluation, and qualitative evaluation. Comprehensive meta-analysis software and Begg and Mazumdar and I2 tests were used for data analysis and assessment of dissemination bias, and heterogeneity, respectively. Out of 93 studies (22 from Asia, 26 from Europe, seven from Africa, 29 from America, and nine from Australia) with a total sample size of 145,823 subjects, the prevalence of hepatitis C in prisoners worldwide was estimated to be 17.7% (95% confidence interval, 15-20.7%). The highest prevalence of hepatitis C on the continents included in this study was reported in prisoners incarcerated in Australia and Oceania, with 28.4% (95% CI: 21.6-36.4) in nine studies, and Europe, with 25.1% (95% CI: 19.4-31.8) in 26 studies. All studies used an ELISA test for the detection of HCV antibodies. The results showed a prevalence of HCV of 17.7% in prisoners worldwide, ranging between 10 and 30% over five continents (Asia, Europe, America, Africa, and Australia and Oceania). The highest prevalence was reported in Australia and Oceania (28.4%), indicating the need to pay more attention to this issue on the continent. It is necessary to reduce the incidence of the disease in prisons by appropriate policy-making and the development of accurate and practical programs, including the distribution of free syringes and examination, testing, and screening of prisoners.
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Werling K, Hunyady B, Makara M, Nemesi K, Horváth G, Schneider F, Enyedi J, Müller Z, Lesch M, Péterfi Z, Tóth T, Gács J, Fehér Z, Ujhelyi E, Molnár E, Nemes Nagy A. Hepatitis C Screening and Treatment Program in Hungarian Prisons in the Era of Direct Acting Antiviral Agents. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020308. [PMID: 35215901 PMCID: PMC8876701 DOI: 10.3390/v14020308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment program was conducted in Hungarian prisons on a voluntary basis. After HCV-RNA testing and genotyping for anti-HCV positives, treatments with direct-acting antiviral agents were commenced by hepatologists who visited the institutions monthly. Patients were supervised by the prisons’ medical staff. Data were retrospectively collected from the Hungarian Hepatitis Treatment Registry, from the Health Registry of Prisons, and from participating hepatologists. Eighty-four percent of Hungarian prisons participated, meaning a total of 5779 individuals (28% of the inmate population) underwent screening. HCV-RNA positivity was confirmed in 317/5779 cases (5.49%); 261/317 (82.3%) started treatment. Ninety-nine percent of them admitted previous intravenous drug use. So far, 220 patients received full treatment and 41 patients are still on treatment. Based on the available end of treatment (EOT) + 24 weeks timepoint data, per protocol sustained virologic response rate was 96.8%. In conclusion, the Hungarian prison screening and treatment program, with the active participation of hepatologists and the prisons’ medical staff, is a well-functioning model. Through the Hungarian experience, we emphasize that the “test-and-treat” principle is feasible and effective at micro-eliminating HCV in prisons, where infection rate, as well as history of intravenous drug usage, are high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klára Werling
- Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence:
| | - Béla Hunyady
- Department of Gastroenterology, Somogy County Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary;
| | - Mihály Makara
- National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent László Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.); (K.N.); (J.G.)
| | - Krisztina Nemesi
- National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent László Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.); (K.N.); (J.G.)
| | | | - Ferenc Schneider
- Department of Infectology, Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital, 9700 Szombathely, Hungary; (F.S.); (Z.F.)
| | - Judit Enyedi
- Department of Infectology, Markhot Ferenc Teaching Hospital and Clinic, 3300 Eger, Hungary;
- Department of Infectology, Dr. Kenessey Albert Hospital, 2660 Balassagyarmat, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Müller
- Department of Infectology, Szent György University Teaching Hospital of County Fejér, 8000 Székesfehérvár, Hungary;
| | - Miklós Lesch
- Department of Infectology, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Hospitals Jósa András Teaching Hospital, 4412 Nyíregyháza, Hungary;
| | - Zoltán Péterfi
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary;
| | - Tamás Tóth
- Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Judit Gács
- National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent László Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.); (K.N.); (J.G.)
| | - Zsuzsanna Fehér
- Department of Infectology, Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital, 9700 Szombathely, Hungary; (F.S.); (Z.F.)
| | | | - Emese Molnár
- Department of Transfusiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Anna Nemes Nagy
- Department of Health, Hungarian Prison Services, 1054 Budapest, Hungary;
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Corcorran MA, Ludwig-Baron N, Cheng DM, Lioznov D, Gnatienko N, Patts G, So-Armah K, Blokhina E, Bendiks S, Krupitsky E, Samet JH, Tsui JI. The Hepatitis C Continuum of Care Among HIV-Positive Persons with Heavy Alcohol Use in St. Petersburg, Russia. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:2533-2541. [PMID: 33730255 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03214-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study describes the self-reported prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection and the HCV care continuum among persons enrolled in the St PETER HIV Study, a randomized controlled trial of medications for smoking and alcohol cessation in HIV-positive heavy drinkers and smokers in St. Petersburg, Russia. Baseline health questionnaire data were used to calculate proportions and 95% confidence intervals for self-reported steps along the HCV continuum of care. The cohort included 399 HIV-positive persons, of whom 387 [97.0% (95% CI 95.3-98.7%)] reported a prior HCV test and 315 [78.9% (95% CI 74.9-82.9%)] reported a prior diagnosis of HCV. Among those reporting a diagnosis of HCV, 43 [13.7% (95% CI 9.9-17.4%)] had received treatment for HCV, and 31 [9.8% (95% CI 6.6-13.1%)] had been cured. Despite frequent HCV testing in this HIV-positive Russian cohort, the proportion reporting prior effective HCV treatment was strikingly low. Increased efforts are needed to scale-up HCV treatment among HIV-positive Russians in St. Petersburg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Corcorran
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, 325 9th Ave, Box 359782, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
| | | | - Debbie M Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dmitry Lioznov
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia Gnatienko
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory Patts
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaku So-Armah
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena Blokhina
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Sally Bendiks
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Addictions, V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Jeffrey H Samet
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Seroprevalence and associated factors of HIV and Hepatitis C in Brazilian high-security prisons: A state-wide epidemiological study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255173. [PMID: 34310633 PMCID: PMC8312944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is much higher in prisons than in community settings. Some explanatory factors for this burden include putative aspects of the prison environment, such as unprotected sexual relations and sexual violence, use of injectable drugs and syringe sharing. Nonetheless, efforts in better understanding the dynamics of both HCV and HIV are scarce in developing countries such as Brazil, which poses a risk not only to the inmates but to the community as well. In this investigation, we sought to determine the seroprevalence and sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors associated with HIV and anti-HCV antibodies among men detained at high-security institutions. This is an epidemiological, proportionally stratified observational study including 1,132 inmates aged 18 to 79 years-old (Mage = 32.58±10.18) from eleven high-security prisons located in the State of Paraná, Brazil. We found that HIV and anti-HCV prevalence were 1.6% (95% CI: 1.0–2.5) and 2.7% (95% CI: 1.0–2.5), respectively. Risk factors associated with HIV included not receiving intimate visits (OR = 8.80, 95% CI: 1.15–66.88), already having another sexually transmitted infection (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.47–10.29), and reporting attendance in HIV preventive campaigns (OR = 4.24, 95% CI: 1.58–11.36). Moreover, anti-HCV seroprevalence was associated with higher age (OR = 4.03, 95% CI: 1.61–10.07), criminal recidivism (OR = 2.58, 95% CI 1.02–6.52), and the use of injectable drugs (OR = 7.32, 95% CI 3.36–15.92). Although prisons might increase the risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV and HCV, the adoption of permanent epidemiological surveillance programs could help reducing the circulation of viruses, involving strategies focusing on screening, treating, and preventing infections to assure proper prisoner health. Moreover, these policies need to take place inside and outside the prison environment to offer continued assistance to former prisoners once they leave the institution.
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11
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Stöver H, Tarján A, Horváth G, Montanari L. The state of harm reduction in prisons in 30 European countries with a focus on people who inject drugs and infectious diseases. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:67. [PMID: 34187471 PMCID: PMC8240363 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00506-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs are often imprisoned, which is associated with increased levels of health risks including overdose and infectious diseases transmission, affecting not only people in prison but also the communities to which they return. This paper aims to give an up-to-date overview on availability, coverage and policy framework of prison-based harm reduction interventions in Europe. METHODS Available data on selected harm reduction responses in prisons were compiled from international standardised data sources and combined with a questionnaire survey among 30 National Focal Points of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction to determine the level of availability, estimated coverage and policy framework of the interventions. RESULTS Information about responses to health harms in prisons is limited and heterogeneous. Cross-country comparability is hampered by diverging national data collection methods. Opioid substitution treatment (OST) is available in 29 countries, but coverage remains low (below 30% of people in need) in half of the responding countries. Needle and syringe programmes, lubricant distribution, counselling on safer injecting and tattooing/piercing are scarcely available. Testing for infectious diseases is offered but mostly upon prison entry, and uptake remains low in about half of the countries. While treatment of infections is mostly available and coverage is high for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C treatment are less often provided. Health education as well as condom distribution is usually available, but provision remains low in nearly half of the countries. Post-release linkage to addiction care as well as to treatment of infections is available in a majority of countries, but implementation is often partial. Interventions recommended to be provided upon release, such as OST initiation, take-home naloxone and testing of infections, are rarely provided. While 21 countries address harm reduction in prison in national strategic documents, upon-release interventions appear only in 12. CONCLUSIONS Availability and coverage of harm reduction interventions in European prisons are limited, compared to the community. There is a gap between international recommendations and 'on-paper' availability of interventions and their actual implementation. Scaling up harm reduction in prison and throughcare can achieve important individual and public-health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heino Stöver
- Institute for Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Nibelungenplatz 1, 60318, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Anna Tarján
- Hungarian Reitox National Focal Point, Széchenyi István tér 7-8, Budapest, 1051, Hungary
| | - Gergely Horváth
- Hungarian Reitox National Focal Point, Széchenyi István tér 7-8, Budapest, 1051, Hungary
| | - Linda Montanari
- European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Praça Europa, 1, 1249-289, Lisbon, Portugal
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12
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Perrett SE, Plimmer A, Shankar AG, Craine N. Prevalence of HCV in prisons in Wales, UK and the impact of moving to opt-out HCV testing. J Public Health (Oxf) 2021; 42:423-428. [PMID: 32090269 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of death worldwide. The World Health Organisation introduced a target to reduce hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat by 2030. Testing and treatment of those at elevated risk of infection in prison is key to achieving disease elimination. An opt-out testing policy for those in prison was introduced in Wales, UK, in 2016. METHODS We analysed all Wales laboratory data where the testing site was a prison. We analysed numbers tested and positivity for a 14-month period before and after the introduction of opt-out testing policy. RESULTS Between September 2015 and December 2017, 6949 HCV tests were from prison settings in Wales, equating to 29% of admissions to prison (P < 0.001). All but one prison increased testing following the introduction of opt-out policy. Percentage positivity for HCV remained at 11% before and after opt-out policy (P = 0.572). Short-stay prisons saw higher rates of HCV positivity than long stay. CONCLUSION Data suggest implementation of opt-out policy improved uptake and diagnosis of HCV amongst those in prison; however, further effort is required to fully embed screening for all. Positivity remains high amongst those in prison, particularly in short-stay prisons. Laboratory data can support audit of opt-out policy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Plimmer
- Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Wales, Cardiff CF10 4BZ, UK
| | | | - Noel Craine
- Microbiology Department, Public Health Wales, Bangor LL57 2PW, UK
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13
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Crowley D, Avramovic G, Cullen W, Farrell C, Halpin A, Keevans M, Laird E, McHugh T, McKiernan S, Miggin SJ, Murtagh R, Connor EO, O'Meara M, Reilly DO, Lambert JS. New hepatitis C virus infection, re-infection and associated risk behaviour in male Irish prisoners: a cohort study, 2019. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 79:97. [PMID: 34103080 PMCID: PMC8186141 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-021-00623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prisoners are recognised as a high-risk population and prisons as high-risk locations for the transmission of hepatitis c virus (HCV) infection. Injecting drug use (IDU) is the main driver of HCV infection in prisoners and harm reduction services are often suboptimal in prison settings. HCV prevalence and incident data in prisoners is incomplete which impacts the public health opportunity that incarceration provides in identifying, treating and preventing HCV infection. The aim of this study is to identify new HCV infection and associated risk factors in an Irish male prison. METHODS We conducted a follow up (18-month) cohort study on prisoners who had previously tested negative, self-cleared or had been successfully treated for HCV infection. We conducted the study in a male medium security prison located in Dublin Ireland (Mountjoy Prison) using HCV serology, a review of medical records and a researcher-administered questionnaire. RESULTS 99 prisoners with a mean age of 33.2 yrs. participated in the study and 82(82.8%) completed a research-administered questionnaire. Over half (51%) had a history of drug use from a young age (14.8 yrs.), 49.9% a history of heroin use and 39% a history of IDU. The prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B virus core antibody was 3% and HCV antibody was 22.2%. No new HCV infections were identified in those who had never been infected (n = 77), had self-cleared (n = 9) or achieved sustained virological response (n = 12). Small numbers of prisoners continued to engage in risk-behaviour including, IDU both in the prison (n = 2) and the community (n = 3), sharing syringes (n = 1) and drug taking paraphernalia (n = 6) and receiving non-sterile tattoos (n = 3). CONCLUSION Despite the high numbers of Irish prisoners with a history of IDU and HCV infection, new HCV infection is low or non-existent in this population. Small numbers of prisoners continue to engage in risk behaviour and larger studies are required to further understand HCV transmission in this cohort in an Irish and international context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Des Crowley
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. .,Irish Prison Service, Dublin, Ireland.
| | | | - Walter Cullen
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | | | | - Tina McHugh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Ross Murtagh
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | | - John S Lambert
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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14
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Busschots D, Kremer C, Bielen R, Koc ÖM, Heyens L, Dercon E, Verrando R, Windelinckx T, Maertens G, Bourgeois S, Hens N, Matheï C, Robaeys G. Identification and treatment of viral hepatitis C in persons who use drugs: a prospective, multicenter outreach study in Flanders, Belgium. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:54. [PMID: 34001145 PMCID: PMC8130277 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00502-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Targeted screening for hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection is not yet widely executed in Belgium. When performed in people who use drugs (PWUD), it is mainly focused on those receiving opiate agonist therapy (OAT). We wanted to reach out to a population of difficult to reach PWUD not on centralized OAT, using non-invasive screening as a bridge to re-integration in medical care supported by facilitated referral to a specialist. METHODS This was a prospective, multicenter cohort study in PWUD not enrolled in a centralized OAT program in a community-based facility in Limburg or OAT program in a community-based facility in Antwerp, Belgium, from October 2018 until October 2019. Two study teams recruited participants using an outreach method at 18 different locations. Participants were tested for HCV antibodies (Ab) by finger prick, and risk factors were assessed through a face-to-face questionnaire. Univariate analyses were used to assess the association between HCV Ab and each risk factor separately. A generalized linear mixed model was used to investigate the association between the different risk factors and HCV. RESULTS In total, 425 PWUD were reached with a mean age of 41.6 ± 10.8, and 78.8% (335/425) were men. HCV Ab prevalence was 14.8% (63/425). Fifty-six (88.9%) PWUD were referred, of whom 37 (66.1%) were linked to care and tested for HCV RNA. Twenty-nine (78.4%) had a chronic HCV infection. Treatment was initiated in 17 (58.6%) patients. The adjusted odds for HCV Ab were highest in those with unstable housing 6 months before inclusion (p < .001, AOR 8.2 CI 95% 3.2-23.3) and in those who had ever shared paraphernalia for intravenous drug use (p < .001, AOR 6.2 CI 95% 2.5-16.0). CONCLUSIONS An important part tested positive for HCV. Treatment could be started in more than half of the chronically infected referred and tested positive for HCV-RNA. Micro-elimination is necessary to achieve the World Health Organization goals by 2030. However, it remains crucial to screen and link a broader group of PWUD to care than to focus solely on those who inject drugs. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov NCT04363411, Registered 27 April 2020-Retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04363411?term=NCT04363411&draw=2&rank=1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Busschots
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium. .,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium.
| | - Cécile Kremer
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics (I-Biostat), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Rob Bielen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium
| | - Özgür Muhammet Koc
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium.,School of NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Leen Heyens
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium.,School of NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Tessa Windelinckx
- Free Clinic Ngo, Antwerp, Belgium.,Harm Reduction, Coordinator GIG - Health promotion in Injecting Drug use Flanders, Flanders, Belgium
| | | | | | - Niel Hens
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics (I-Biostat), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Catharina Matheï
- Free Clinic Ngo, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Robaeys
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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15
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Jamin D, Vanderplasschen W, Sys O, Jauffret-Roustide M, Michel L, Trouiller P, Neisa A, Homen M, Mendes V, Stöver H. "My first 48 hours out": drug users' perspectives on challenges and strategies upon release from prison. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:32. [PMID: 33712032 PMCID: PMC7953692 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00480-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prisoners report much higher prevalence rates of drug use and more harmful consumption patterns than the general population. People who use drugs have above-average experiences with the criminal justice system in general, and the prison system and subsequent release situations in particular. Release from prison is associated with increased mortality rates among drug users due to the risk of overdose. The EU-funded project 'My first 48 hours out' aimed to address the gaps in continuity of care for long-term drug users in prison and upon release, with a special focus on drug user's perspectives on needs and challenges upon release. METHODS A multi-country (Belgium, France, Germany and Portugal) qualitative study was set up to explore drug users' perceptions of drug use and risk behaviour upon prison release, experiences of incarceration and release, and strategies to avoid risks when being released. In total, 104 prisoners and recently released persons with a history of drug use participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussions on these topics. RESULTS Respondents pointed out that there are numerous challenges for people who use drugs when released from prison. Lack of stable housing and employment support were frequently mentioned, as well as complex administrative procedures regarding access to services, health insurance and welfare benefits. Besides structural challenges, individual issues may challenge social reintegration like 'old habits', mental health problems and disrupted social networks. As a result, (ex-)prisoners adopt individual strategies to cope with the risks and challenges at release. CONCLUSION Measures to prepare prisoners for release often do not focus on the individual and specific challenges of persons who use drugs. Psychosocial and medical support need to be improved and adjusted to drug users' needs inside and outside prison. To improve the quality and continuity of care around release, the perspectives and coping strategies of people who use drugs should be used to better address their needs and barriers to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Jamin
- Institute for Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | | | - Orphée Sys
- Department of Special Needs Education, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Cermes 3 (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/EHESS/), Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, Buffalo University of Social Sciences, New York, USA
| | - Laurent Michel
- CESP, INSERM UMR1018, University Paris - Saclay, Pierre Nicole Centre, French Red Cross, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Trouiller
- CESP, INSERM UMR1018, University Paris - Saclay, Pierre Nicole Centre, French Red Cross, Paris, France
| | - Andreia Neisa
- APDES, Agência Piaget Para O Desenvolvimento, Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Mariana Homen
- APDES, Agência Piaget Para O Desenvolvimento, Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Vânia Mendes
- APDES, Agência Piaget Para O Desenvolvimento, Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Heino Stöver
- Institute for Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany
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16
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Gamkrelidze I, Pawlotsky JM, Lazarus JV, Feld JJ, Zeuzem S, Bao Y, Gabriela Pires Dos Santos A, Sanchez Gonzalez Y, Razavi H. Progress towards hepatitis C virus elimination in high-income countries: An updated analysis. Liver Int 2021; 41:456-463. [PMID: 33389788 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Elimination of HCV by 2030, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is attainable with the availability of highly efficacious therapies. This study reports progress made in the timing of HCV elimination in 45 high-income countries between 2017 and 2019. METHODS Disease progression models of HCV infection for each country were updated with latest data on chronic HCV prevalence, and annual diagnosis and treatment levels, assumed to remain constant in the future. Modelled outcomes were analysed to determine the year in which each country would meet the WHO 2030 elimination targets. RESULTS Of the 45 countries studied, 11 (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom) are on track to meet WHO's elimination targets by 2030; five (Austria, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Korea) by 2040; and two (Saudi Arabia and Taiwan) by 2050. The remaining 27 countries are not expected to achieve elimination before 2050. Compared to progress in 2017, South Korea is no longer on track to eliminate HCV by 2030, three (Canada, Germany, and Sweden) are now on track, and most countries (30) saw no change. CONCLUSIONS Assuming high-income countries will maintain current levels of diagnosis and treatment, only 24% are on track to eliminate HCV by 2030, and 60% are off track by at least 20 years. If current levels of diagnosis and treatment continue falling, achieving WHO's 2030 targets will be more challenging. With less than ten years remaining, screening and treatment expansion is crucial to meet WHO's HCV elimination targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordan J Feld
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stefan Zeuzem
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
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17
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Armstrong-Mensah E, Dada D, Rupasinghe R, Whately H. Injecting substance use in prisons in the United States: a case for needle exchange programs. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2021; 47:273-279. [PMID: 33596124 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2021.1872587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite efforts to prevent illicit substance use in prisons, inmates in many countries still have access to them, along with associated paraphernalia. In the United States, a large proportion of people in prison are there due to drug-related charges. The secretive nature of illicit substance use in prison and the opposition to implementing harm reduction interventions such as needle exchange programs have put prisoners who engage in such practices at high risk for infectious bloodborne diseases. While states have their reasons for opposing the implementation of needle exchange programs in prisons, evidence shows that keeping illicit substances out of prisons is difficult. Programs allowing needle exchange programs are currently illegal in the United States. The authors propose that states reconsider their stance on needle exchange programs as the implementation of such programs in several penal institutions worldwide have proven to be successful in reducing bloodborne diseases and promoting and preserving the health of prisoners. By prohibiting needle exchange programs in prison states are not only denying prisoners' access to health care but are also violating prisoner's right to health as recommended by international instruments on prisoner rights. This article advocates for the implementation of needle exchange programs in the United States prison system with a focus on states. It does this by drawing attention to the effectiveness of such programs around the world and to the fact that incarceration does not necessarily reduce illicit substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damilola Dada
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Harrison Whately
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
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18
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Gallacher J, McPherson S. Progress towards micro-elimination of hepatitis C in the custodial setting. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:300-301. [PMID: 33131191 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gallacher
- Liver Unit, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Stuart McPherson
- Liver Unit, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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19
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Dmitrieva A, Stepanov V, Svyrydova K, Lukash IG, Doltu S, Golichenko M, Kalivoshko V, Khanyukov E, Kosmukhamedova Z, Torkunov O, Zagrebelnyi O. More evidence or stronger political will: exploring the feasibility of needle and syringe programs in Ukrainian prisons. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:10. [PMID: 33468162 PMCID: PMC7814436 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00459-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended for prison authorities to introduce prison needle and syringe programs (PNSP) if they have any evidence that injecting drug use is taking place in prisons. This article presents descriptive evidence that injecting drug use takes place in Ukrainian prisons, it discusses how (denial of) access to injection equipment is regulated in the current system and what changes should be considered in order to implement PNSP. BACKGROUND Ukrainian prisons still live by the laws and policies adopted in the Soviet Union. Besides laws and regulations, these legacies are replicated through the organization and infrastructure of the prison's physical space, and through "carceral collectivism" as a specific form of living and behaving. Inviolability of the prison order over time helps the prison staff to normalize and routinely rationalize punishment enforcement as a power "over" prisoners, but not a power "for" achieving a specific goal. METHODS The Participatory Action Research approach was used as a way of involving different actors in the study's working group and research process. The data were gathered through 160 semi-structured interviews with prison health care workers, guards, people who inject drugs (PWID) who served one or several terms and other informants. RESULTS The "expertise" in drug use among prisoners demonstrated by prison staff tells us two things-they admit that injecting use takes place in prisons, and that the surveillance of prisoner behavior has been carried out constantly since the very beginning as a core function of control. The communal living conditions and prison collectivism may not only produce and reproduce a criminal subculture but, using the same mechanisms, produce and reproduce drug use in prison. The "political will" incorporated into prison laws and policies is essential for the revision of outdated legacies and making PNSP implementation feasible. CONCLUSION PNSP implementation is not just a question of having evidence of injecting drug use in the hands of prison authorities. For PNSP to be feasible in the prison environment, there is a need for specific changes to transition from one historical period and political leadership to another. And, thus, to make PNSP work requires making power work for change, and not just for reproducing the power itself.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladimir Stepanov
- Support, Research and Development Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Doctoral School at National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA), Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Ievgeniia-Galyna Lukash
- Support, Research and Development Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Doctoral School at National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA), Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Svetlana Doltu
- Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
- Council for the Prevention of Torture (National Preventive Mechanism), Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
| | | | | | - Evgeniy Khanyukov
- Global Fund and PATH Projects in State Penitentiary Service, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Zhannat Kosmukhamedova
- Regional Programme Office for the Eastern Europe United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Kyiv, Ukraine
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20
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Gaspar R, Liberal R, Tavares J, Morgado R, Macedo G. HIPPOCRATES ® project: A proof of concept of a collaborative program for hepatitis C virus micro-elimination in a prison setting. World J Hepatol 2020; 12:1314-1325. [PMID: 33442457 PMCID: PMC7772731 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v12.i12.1314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the last few years we have witnessed a revolution in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. With the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), sustained virological response (SVR) is achieved in more than 95% of the patients. The focus is now being turned to the global targets set by the World Health Organization, with the aim of achieving HCV elimination by 2030. Prison inmates constitute one of the high-risk groups, and receive treatment less frequently due to several barriers in access to health care.
AIM To describe the management and follow-up of a cohort of HCV monoinfected patients treated with DAA in the prison setting, where tertial referral liver center specialists locally provide, on-site assessment and treatment for the prisoners.
METHODS A prospective observational study was conducted from April 2017 to March 2020, which included all HCV monoinfected prison inmates in the largest Northern Portugal prison. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, as well as transient elastography measurements, were collected onsite by the medical team and prospectively recorded. Patients were treated with DAA according to international guidelines. The primary endpoint was SVR at post-treatment week 12.
RESULTS There were 98 monoinfected HCV male inmates (mean age, 42.7 ± 8.6 years) included in the analysis. Injecting drugs or tattooing were reported in 74.5%, with 38.8% of the latter being done in prison. Alcohol consumption of more than 30 g/d was referred in 69.4%. The most prevalent genotype was 1a (54.1%), followed by 3 (27.6%), 4 (9.2%) and 1b (6.1%). Pretreatment fibrosis degree was mild-to-moderate (F0-F2) in 77.6% and severe in 22.4% (F3-F4). Treatment regimens chosen were: 45.9% elbasvir/grazoprevir, 29.6% sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, and 12.2% sofosbuvir/ledispavir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. No major adverse events were observed. SVR at post-treatment week 12 was 99%.
CONCLUSION In a population considered to be both hard-to-access and a cornerstone for HCV elimination, the onsite evaluation and treatment of HCV-infected prisoners, achieved an exceptional highly effective success rate. This type of collaborative program should be considered to be expanded, to support hepatitis C elimination efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gaspar
- Department of Gastroenterology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto 4200, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Liberal
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto 4200, Portugal
| | - Jorge Tavares
- Estabelecimento Prisional do Porto, Porto 4200, Portugal
| | - Rui Morgado
- Estabelecimento Prisional do Porto, Porto 4200, Portugal
| | - Guilherme Macedo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto 4200, Portugal
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21
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Nakitanda AO, Montanari L, Tavoschi L, Mozalevskis A, Duffell E. Hepatitis C virus infection in EU/EEA and United Kingdom prisons: opportunities and challenges for action. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1670. [PMID: 33167912 PMCID: PMC7650151 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09515-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in the European Union, European Economic Area and United Kingdom is driven by injecting drug use (IDU), which contributes to the high burden of chronic infection among people in prisons. This study aimed to describe the context, epidemiology and response targeting HCV in prisons across the region. METHODS We retrieved and collated HCV-related data from the World Health Organization's Health in Prisons European Database and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's hepatitis C prevalence database. Prisons population data were obtained from the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics on prison populations (SPACE I). RESULTS There were 12 to 93,266 people in prisons, with rates of 31·5 to 234·9 per 100,000 population. Median age was between 31 and 40 years, with up to 72% foreign nationals. Average detention time ranged from one to 31 months. Ministries of Health had sole authority over prisons health, budget administration and funding in 27, 31 and 8% of 26 reporting countries, respectively. Seroprevalence of HCV antibodies ranged from 2·3% to 82·6% while viraemic infections ranged from 5·7% to 8·2%, where reported. Up to 25·8 and 44% reported current and ever IDU, respectively. Eight countries routinely offered HCV screening on an opt-out basis. Needle and syringe programmes were available in three countries. Among the nine countries with data, the annual number of those who had completed HCV treatment ranged between one and 1215 people in prisons. CONCLUSIONS HCV burden in prisons remains high, amidst suboptimal levels of interventions. Systematic monitoring at both local and regional levels is warranted, to advance progress towards the elimination of HCV in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Olivia Nakitanda
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Present address: Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.418914.10000 0004 1791 8889European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linda Montanari
- grid.418926.00000 0004 0631 3155European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lara Tavoschi
- grid.5395.a0000 0004 1757 3729Department of translational research and new technologies in medicine and surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antons Mozalevskis
- grid.420226.00000 0004 0639 2949World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erika Duffell
- grid.418914.10000 0004 1791 8889European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Jack K, Linsley P, Thomson BJ, Irving WL. How do people in prison feel about opt-out hepatitis C virus testing? J Viral Hepat 2020; 27:1003-1011. [PMID: 32488916 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The prison population is central to the campaign to eliminate hepatitis C virus as a public health threat. In the UK, this has led to the introduction of a national 'opt-out' policy, requiring people in prison to be tested for HCV unless they decline, with a target to test 75% of those admitted. However, in a representative prison estate in the East Midlands of England (20,000 prison entrants per annum) testing rates were only 13.4%. This qualitative study explains why the rates of test uptake are so far short of target. This qualitative study examines the experiences of 45 people in prison about hepatitis C virus testing in an English category C (low security) prison. The data collection method was semi-structured interviews. The data were coded and analysed according to the research questions, and interpretation of the data was aided by the use of a thematic network approach. The themes Fear, Insufficient Knowledge, Stigma, Privacy, Choice and Prison Life emerged as the principal barriers to test uptake. Test Uptake Facilitators that promoted testing were identified by participants and benefits presented of prison health care being a Health Farm. In order to increase hepatitis C virus test uptake, significant changes and flexibility in the timing, location, and staff deployed to test are required. Providing information to people in prison about hepatitis C virus transmission and treatment may reduce fears and enable the test uptake target to be met and sustained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Jack
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Brian James Thomson
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - William Lucien Irving
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Moazen B, Dolan K, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Lotfizadeh M, Duke K, Neuhann F, Stöver H, Jahn A. Availability, Accessibility, and Coverage of Needle and Syringe Programs in Prisons in the European Union. Epidemiol Rev 2020; 42:19-26. [DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Needle and syringe programs (NSPs) are among the most effective interventions for controlling the transmission of infection among people who inject drugs in prisons. We evaluated the availability, accessibility, and coverage of NSPs in prisons in European Union (EU) countries. In line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, we systematically searched 4 databases of peer-reviewed publications (MEDLINE (PubMed), ISI Web of Science, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect) and 53 databases containing gray literature to collect data published from January 2008 to August 2018. A total of 23,969 documents (17,297 papers and 6,672 gray documents) were identified, of which 26 were included in the study. In 2018, imprisonment rates in 28 EU countries ranged between 51 per 100,000 population in Finland and 235 per 100,000 population in Lithuania. Only 4 countries were found to have NSPs in prisons: Germany (in 1 prison), Luxembourg (no coverage data were found), Romania (available in more than 50% of prisons), and Spain (in all prisons). Portugal stopped an NSP after a 6-month pilot phase. Despite the protective impact of prison-based NSPs on infection transmission, only 4 EU countries distribute sterile syringes among people who inject drugs in prisons, and coverage of the programs within these countries is very low. Since most prisoners will eventually return to the community, lack of NSPs in EU prisons not only is a threat to the health of prisoners but also endangers public health.
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24
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Hariri S, Sharafkhah M, Alavi M, Roshandel G, Fazel A, Amiriani T, Motamed-Gorji N, Bazazan A, Merat S, Poustchi H, Malekzadeh R. A simple risk-based strategy for hepatitis C virus screening among incarcerated people in a low- to middle-income setting. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:56. [PMID: 32795371 PMCID: PMC7427767 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is among the highest priority diseases in custodial settings; however, the diagnosis remains suboptimal among people in custody. This study aimed to validate a short survey for identifying people with HCV infection in a provincial prison in Iran. Methods Between July and December 2018, residents and newly admitted inmates of Gorgan central prison completed a questionnaire, including data on the history of HCV testing, drug use, injecting drug use, sharing injecting equipment, and imprisonment. Participants received rapid HCV antibody testing, followed by venipuncture for RNA testing (antibody-positive only). Each enrollment question (yes/no) was compared with the testing results (positive/negative). Results Overall, 1892 people completed the questionnaire, including 621 (34%) who were currently on opioid agonist therapy (OAT); 30% of participants had been tested for HCV previously. About 71% had a history of drug use, of whom 13% had ever injected drugs; 52% had ever shared injecting equipment. The prevalence of HCV antibody and RNA was 6.9% (n = 130) and 4.8% (n = 90), respectively. The antibody prevalence was higher among people on OAT compared to those with no history of OAT (11.4% vs. 4.0%). History of drug use was the most accurate predictor of having a positive HCV antibody (sensitivity: 95.2%, negative predictive value: 98.9%) and RNA testing (sensitivity: 96.7%, negative predictive value: 99.5%). The sensitivity of the drug use question was lowest among people with no OAT history and new inmates (87% and 89%, respectively). Among all participants, sensitivity and negative predictive value of the other questions were low and ranged from 34 to 54% and 94 to 97%, respectively. Conclusions In resource-limited settings, HCV screening based on having a history of drug use could replace universal screening in prisons to reduce costs. Developing tailored screening strategies together with further cost studies are crucial to address the current HCV epidemic in low- to middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanam Hariri
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Sharafkhah
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Alavi
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gholamreza Roshandel
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Fazel
- Cancer Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Taghi Amiriani
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Nazgol Motamed-Gorji
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Bazazan
- Department of Health, Golestan State Prisons and Security and Corrective Measures Organization, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Shahin Merat
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Poustchi
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Malekzadeh
- Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Palayew A, Stumo SR, Cooke GS, Hutchinson SJ, Jauffret-Roustide M, Maticic M, Harris M, Metwally AM, Razavi H, Lazarus JV. The Hep-CORE policy score: A European hepatitis C national policy implementation ranking based on patient organization data. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235715. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
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26
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Palayew A, Stumo SR, Cooke GS, Hutchinson SJ, Jauffret-Roustide M, Maticic M, Harris M, Metwally AM, Razavi H, Lazarus JV. The Hep-CORE policy score: A European hepatitis C national policy implementation ranking based on patient organization data. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235715. [PMID: 32722701 PMCID: PMC7386634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments spurred the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 to adopt a strategy to eliminate HCV as a public health threat by 2030. To achieve this, key policies must be implemented. In the absence of monitoring mechanisms, this study aims to assess the extent of policy implementation from the perspective of liver patient groups. METHODS Thirty liver patient organisations, each representing a country, were surveyed in October 2018 to assess implementation of HCV policies in practice. Respondents received two sets of questions based on: 1) WHO recommendations; and 2) validated data sources verifying an existing policy in their country. Academic experts selected key variables from each set for inclusion into policy scores. The similarity scores were calculated for each set with a multiple joint correspondence analysis. Proxy reference countries were included as the baseline to contextualize results. We extracted scores for each country and standardized them from 0 to 10 (best). RESULTS Twenty-five countries responded. For the score based on WHO recommendations, Bulgaria had the lowest score whereas five countries (Cyprus, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden) had the highest scores. For the verified policy score, a two-dimensional solution was identified; first dimension scores pertained to whether verified policies were in place and second dimension scores pertained to the proportion of verified policies in-place that were implemented. Spain, UK, and Sweden had high scores for both dimensions. CONCLUSIONS Patient groups reported that the European region is not on track to meet WHO 2030 HCV goals. More action should be taken to implement and monitor HCV policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Palayew
- McGill University Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Samya R. Stumo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Graham S. Cooke
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon J. Hutchinson
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Cermes3 (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales/Paris Descartes University), Paris, France
| | - Mojca Maticic
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Illnesses, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Magdalena Harris
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ammal M. Metwally
- Community Medicine Research Department, Medicine Research Division, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
- Association of Liver Patient Care, Dakhlyia, Egypt
| | - Homie Razavi
- Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, Lafayette, CO, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey V. Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Marco A, Domínguez-Hernández R, Casado MA. Cost-effectiveness analysis of chronic hepatitis C treatment in the prison population in Spain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 22:66-74. [PMID: 32697276 PMCID: PMC7537362 DOI: 10.18176/resp.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral (DAAs) treatment versus non-treatment in prisoners awaiting treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to analyse the clinical and economic impact of the treatment on liver complications and mortality. Material and method A lifetime Markov model was developed to simulate treatment and disease progression from an estimated cohort of 4,408 CHC prisoners treated with DAAs over 2 years (50% of patient each year) versus no treatment. In the treated cohort, a sustained viral response of 95% was associated. Patient characteristics, transition probabilities, utilities and costs (pharmacological and healthcare states) were obtained from published literature. The model estimated healthcare costs and benefits, incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) based on total costs and the quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and avoided clinical events. A National Healthcare System perspective was adopted with a 3% annual discount rate for both costs and health outcomes. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess uncertainty. Results In the DDA treated cohort, the model estimated a decrease of 92% of decompensated cirrhosis and 83% of hepatocellular carcinoma, 88% liver-related mortality cases were reduced, 132 liver transplants were avoided. The treatment achieved an additional 5.0/QALYs (21.2 vs. 16.2) with an incremental cost of €3,473 (€24,088 vs. €20,615) per patient with an ICUR of €690 per QALY gained. Discussion Considering the willingness-to-pay threshold used in Spain (€22,000-30,000/QALY), DAAs treatment for prisoners with CHC is a highly cost-effective strategy, reduces infection transmission, increases survival and reduces complications due to liver disease, as well as the cost associated with its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Marco
- Prison Health Program. Institut Català de La Salut. Barcelona. Spain
| | | | - M A Casado
- Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research Iberia (PORIB). Madrid. Spain
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28
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Biondi MJ, Feld JJ. Hepatitis C models of care: approaches to elimination. CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2020; 3:165-176. [PMID: 35991853 PMCID: PMC9202783 DOI: 10.3138/canlivj.2019-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have an efficacy of 95% or greater, with pangenotypic options. Many regions in Canada have recently abolished the need to demonstrate fibrosis before treatment with DAAs, and several combination therapies are available under public and private insurance coverage. As a result, efforts to increase treatment are largely focused on engaging specific populations and providers. With minimal side effects and decreased need for monitoring, hepatitis C screening, linkage, and treatment can largely be done in a single setting. In this article, we highlight both Canadian and international examples of the specialist's ongoing role and discuss the task shifting of hepatitis C treatment to primary care; specialized community clinics; and mental health, corrections, addictions, and opioid substitution therapy settings. Although specialists continue to support most models of care described in the literature, we highlight the potential for non-specialist care in working toward the elimination of hepatitis C in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia J Biondi
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, Ontario
| | - Jordan J Feld
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
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29
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Biondi MJ, Feld JJ. Hepatitis C models of care: approaches to elimination. CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2019-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have an efficacy of 95% or greater, with pangenotypic options. Many regions in Canada have recently abolished the need to demonstrate fibrosis before treatment with DAAs, and several combination therapies are available under public and private insurance coverage. As a result, efforts to increase treatment are largely focused on engaging specific populations and providers. With minimal side effects and decreased need for monitoring, hepatitis C screening, linkage, and treatment can largely be done in a single setting. In this article, we highlight both Canadian and international examples of the specialist’s ongoing role and discuss the task shifting of hepatitis C treatment to primary care; specialized community clinics; and mental health, corrections, addictions, and opioid substitution therapy settings. Although specialists continue to support most models of care described in the literature, we highlight the potential for non-specialist care in working toward the elimination of hepatitis C in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia J Biondi
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, Ontario
| | - Jordan J Feld
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
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30
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Sander G, Shirley-Beavan S, Stone K. The Global State of Harm Reduction in Prisons. JOURNAL OF CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE 2020; 25:105-120. [PMID: 31084277 DOI: 10.1177/1078345819837909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that a large portion of the prison population is made up of people who use and inject drugs, harm reduction continues to be extremely limited in prison settings. This article begins with a review of drug-related incarceration, drug use in prisons, and HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) prevalence among prisoners globally. It presents the scientific evidence, alongside legal and economic arguments supporting the provision of harm reduction to people who use drugs, both inside and outside of prisons. The article then provides a global overview of the availability, accessibility, and quality of harm reduction services in prisons-specifically needle and syringe programs; opioid substitution therapy; provision of the opioid agonist naloxone; and diagnosis, treatment, and care for HIV, HCV, and tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gen Sander
- 1 Harm Reduction International, London, UK
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31
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Bretaña NA, Gray RR, Cunningham EB, Betz-Stablein B, Ribeiro R, Graw F, Luciani F, Lloyd AR. Combined treatment and prevention strategies for hepatitis C virus elimination in the prisons in New South Wales: a modelling study. Addiction 2020; 115:901-913. [PMID: 31633853 DOI: 10.1111/add.14830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Australia is currently on track to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) global hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination goals by 2030, reflecting universal subsidized access to testing and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment. In New South Wales, DAA treatment in prisons has scaled-up substantially, with 1000 prisoners treated in 2017. However, HCV prevalence and incidence in this setting is high, which could undermine elimination efforts. This study aimed to test the preventative effects of DAA treatment scale-up, opiate substitution treatment (OST) and needle and syringe programme (NSP) strategies for prisons. DESIGN Modelling study using an individual-based mathematical model of a typical prison setting. The model was calibrated against Australian epidemiological data sets and executed in-prison events for each individual daily, including movements between prisons, changes in risk behaviour and uptake of prevention measures such as OST and NSP, as well as DAA treatment. Scenarios were projected from 2018 to 2030. SETTING New South Wales prisons. PARTICIPANTS New South Wales prisoners. MEASUREMENTS Variables including prison populations, prevalence and incidence rate were calculated. Prisoners were described by demographic characteristics, HCV infection history, risk behaviours and accessing treatment and prevention measures in varied security settings. FINDINGS Increasing the number of prisoners treated for HCV to 2000 annually was projected to reduce the HCV incidence rate to 8.69 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.17, 9.20] per 100 person-years (100 p.y.). Combined treatment and prevention strategies were necessary to reduce the projected incidence rate to 5.22 (95% CI = 5.13, 5.52) per 100 p.y. Considering the expected reductions in the prevalence of chronic HCV in the Australian community, incidence rate was predicted to drop to 0.93 (95% CI = 0.92, 0.98) per 100 p.y. by 2030. CONCLUSIONS This model, which simulates prison scenarios to inform Australia's national hepatitis C virus elimination efforts, suggests that continued direct-acting antiviral (coverage in the community combined with a moderate increase of direct-acting antiviral treatments in prisons, and introduction of improved harm reduction via opiate substitution treatment and/or needle and syringe programmes, makes hepatitis C virus elimination feasible in Australian prisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Bretaña
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Surveillance Evaluation and Research Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard R Gray
- Surveillance Evaluation and Research Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Evan B Cunningham
- Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brigid Betz-Stablein
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ruy Ribeiro
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Frederik Graw
- Center for Modeling and Simulation in the Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fabio Luciani
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew R Lloyd
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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BEHZADIFAR M, AZARI S, GORJI H, MARTINI M, BRAGAZZI N. The hepatitis C virus in Iran: health policy, historical, ethical issues and future challenges. JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2020; 61:E109-E118. [PMID: 32490276 PMCID: PMC7225642 DOI: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.1.1438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Background Hepatitis C infection (HCV) can have a harmful effect on the health of people and can impose relevant healthcare costs. The World Health Organization has identified the elimination of Hepatitis C by 2030 as an important goal for all countries. This study aimed to identify the HCV-related policies in Iran. Methods A qualitative approach was used for this study. Data was collected through a comprehensive search of documents and interviews with different stakeholders related to the HCV program. Data was analyzed and validated using content analysis based on the policy triangle framework. Results Our findings highlighted that certain social and cultural issues related to stigma can impact on awareness-raising processes. It is also necessary to consider HCV directly in the context of government policies. All relevant stakeholders should be included. Continued talks and interactions need to be made between them for the active participation of all actors. Conclusion The findings of this study can provide useful information for improving, supporting and developing policy processes. Healthcare providers should address all aspects of the disease by 2030 in order to achieve the goal of HCV elimination. Evidence-based planning, support for up-to-date policies and resource mobilization are needed to achieve this ambitious goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. BEHZADIFAR
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - S. AZARI
- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - H.A. GORJI
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Correspondence: Hasan Abolghasem Gorji, Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Rashid Yasemi Street, Vali-e-asr Avenue Tehran, Iran -Tel. +2188883334 - E-mail:
| | - M. MARTINI
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Italy
- UNESCO CHAIR “Anthropology of Health - Biosphere and Healing System”, University of Genoa, Italy
| | - N.L. BRAGAZZI
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Italy
- UNESCO CHAIR “Anthropology of Health - Biosphere and Healing System”, University of Genoa, Italy
- York University, Toronto, Canada
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HIV/tuberculosis/hepatitis C virus services for incarcerated populations in Azerbaijan and the Eastern Europe Central Asia region. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2020; 14:66-70. [PMID: 30489347 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The tide of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is a challenge for the penitentiary system in Eastern Europe Central Asia (EECA) region. We have analyzed the existing services for incarcerated individuals with HIV, HCV and TB to assess the current situation in the EECA region. RECENT FINDINGS Because of the current criminal-legal system, key risk population with strong linkage to the blood-borne and airborne infections has a high proportion among prisoners. Management of these diseases includes a set of services, such as early detection, counseling, testing and treatment, prevention, harm reduction programme, wide educational and information efforts, and organization of continuity care after release. WHO has developed a set of targets, the only precise achievement of which will reduce the burden of these infections and eliminate them as a public health problem. SUMMARY It is necessary to closely monitor the delivery of HIV, HCV and TB care services in penitentiary system of the EECA countries. The comprehensive operational research will help to develop the most effective practices allowing to achieve the care provision for the entire contingent of the penitentiary system and its continuity in the civil sector. Sustainable and sufficient funding is required as well as enough attention to ensure healthcare services at an appropriate level in the penitentiary system.
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Enkelmann J, Gassowski M, Nielsen S, Wenz B, Roß S, Marcus U, Bremer V, Zimmermann R. High prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and low level of awareness among people who recently started injecting drugs in a cross-sectional study in Germany, 2011-2014: missed opportunities for hepatitis C testing. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:7. [PMID: 31924208 PMCID: PMC6954578 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0338-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Germany, risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highest among people who inject drugs (PWID). New injectors (NI) are particularly vulnerable for HCV-acquisition, but little is known about health seeking behaviour and opportunities for intervention in this group. We describe characteristics, HCV prevalence, estimated HCV incidence and awareness of HCV-status among NIs and missed opportunities for hepatitis C testing. Methods People who had injected drugs in the last 12 months were recruited into a cross-sectional serobehavioural study using respondent-driven sampling in 8 German cities, 2011–2014. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, previous HCV testing and access to care were collected through questionnaire-based interviews. Capillary blood was tested for HCV. People injecting drugs < 5 years were considered NI. Results Of 2059 participants with available information on duration of injection drug use, 232 (11% were NI. Estimated HCV incidence among NI was 19.6 infections/100 person years at risk (95% CI 16–24). Thirty-six percent of NI were HCV-positive (thereof 76% with detectable RNA) and 41% of those HCV-positive were unaware of their HCV-status. Overall, 27% of NI reported never having been HCV-tested. Of NI with available information, more than 80% had attended low-threshold drug services in the last 30 days, 24% were released from prison in the last 12 months and medical care was most commonly accessed in hospitals, opioid substitution therapy (OST)-practices, practices without OST and prison hospitals. Conclusion We found high HCV-positivity and low HCV-status awareness among NI, often with missed opportunities for HCV-testing. To increase early diagnosis and facilitate treatment, HCV-testing should be offered in all facilities, where NI can be reached, especially low-threshold drug services and addiction therapy, but also prisons, hospitals and practices without OST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Enkelmann
- Postgraduate Training for Applied Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany. .,European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training, ECDC, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Martyna Gassowski
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stine Nielsen
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.,Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Wenz
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Roß
- Institute of Virology, National Reference Centre for Hepatitis C, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Marcus
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Viviane Bremer
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruth Zimmermann
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Division for HIV/AIDS, STI and Blood-borne Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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PEREZ HERNANDEZ JOSELUIS, Lehmann Mendoza R, Luna Martinez J, Torres Roldan JF, Chaidez Rosales PA, Martinez Arredondo HA, Rebollar Gonzalez V, De la Cruz Silva L, Santana-Vargas D, Higuera de la Tijera MDF, Arce Salinas CA. CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS C MICRO-ELIMINATION PROGRAM USING TELEMEDICINE. THE MEXICAN EXPERIENCE. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE ENFERMEDADES DIGESTIVAS 2020; 113:432-435. [DOI: 10.17235/reed.2020.7425/2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Alam F, Wright N, Roberts P, Dhadley S, Townley J, Webster R. Optimising opioid substitution therapy in the prison environment. Int J Prison Health 2019; 15:293-307. [PMID: 31532339 PMCID: PMC6761913 DOI: 10.1108/ijph-12-2017-0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to examine the current provision of opioid substitution therapy (OST) during and immediately following release from detention in prisons in England and Wales. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH A group of experts was convened to comment on current practices and to make recommendations for improving OST management in prison. Current practices were previously assessed using an online survey and a focus group with experience of OST in prison (Webster, 2017). FINDINGS Disruption to the management of addiction and reduced treatment choice for OST adversely influences adequate provision of OST in prison. A key concern was the routine diversion of opiate substitutes to other prisoners. The new controlled drug formulations were considered a positive development to ensure streamlined and efficient OST administration. The following patient populations were identified as having concerns beyond their opioid use, and therefore require additional considerations in prison: older people with comorbidities and complex treatment needs; women who have experienced trauma and have childcare issues; and those with existing mental health needs requiring effective understanding and treatment in prison. ORIGINALITY/VALUE Integration of clinical and psychosocial services would enable a joint care plan to be tailored for each individual with opioid dependence and include options for detoxification or maintenance treatment. This would better enable those struggling with opioid use to make informed choices concerning their care during incarceration and for the period immediately following their release. Improvements in coordination of OST would facilitate inclusion of strategies to further streamline this process for the benefit of prisoners and prison staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farrukh Alam
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | | | - Sunny Dhadley
- Wolverhampton Volunteer Sector Council, Wolverhampton, UK
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Gahrton C, Westman G, Lindahl K, Öhrn F, Dalgard O, Lidman C, Nilsson LH, Said K, Duberg AS, Aleman S. Prevalence of Viremic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV infection, and vaccination status among prisoners in Stockholm County. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:955. [PMID: 31706284 PMCID: PMC6842501 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-4581-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identification and knowledge of settings with high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is important when aiming for elimination of HCV. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of viremic HCV infection among Swedish prisoners. Secondary aims were to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the proportion who have received hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination. METHODS A cross-sectional study of all incarcerated persons (n = 667) at all prisons (n = 9) in Stockholm County was conducted. All prisoners are routinely offered opt-in screening for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV), HCV RNA, HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc and HIV Ag/Ab at prison in Sweden. Data on the results of these tests and the number of received HBV vaccine doses were collected from the prison medical records. The parameters of HCV RNA, anti-HCV, and occurrence of testing for HCV were analysed in multiple logistic regression models in relation to age, sex and prison security class. RESULTS The median age was 35 (IQR 26-44) years, and 93.4% were men. Seventy-one percent (n = 471) had been tested for anti-HCV, 70% (n = 465) for HBsAg and 71% (n = 471) for HIV. The prevalence of anti-HCV, HCV RNA, HBsAg and HIV Ag/Ab was 17.0, 11.5, 1.9, and 0.2%, respectively among tested persons. The proportion of prisoners who had received full HBV vaccination was 40.6% (n = 271) among all study subjects. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of viremic HCV infection among Swedish prisoners in Stockholm County was 11.5%, which is high in comparison to the general population. Therefore, when aiming for the WHO goal of HCV elimination, prisons could suit as a platform for identification and treatment of HCV infection. There is a need to increase testing for blood-borne viruses and to improve vaccination coverage against HBV in Swedish prisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gahrton
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gabriel Westman
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Lindahl
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Öhrn
- Center for Innovation, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olav Dalgard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christer Lidman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Karouk Said
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ann-Sofi Duberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Soo Aleman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Opitz-Welke A, Lehmann M, Seidel P, Konrad N. Medicine in the Penal System. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 115:808-814. [PMID: 30642429 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infectious diseases, substance dependencies, and dental diseases are the most important health problems affecting incarcerated persons. In Germany, for example, prisoners are 48 to 69 times more likely to be infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) than the general population, and 7 to 12 times more likely to be infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The prevalence of mental illnesses is also markedly higher in the incarcerated than in the general population. METHODS This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) for any of the terms "health care," "primary health care," "mental health care"; "infectious disease," "opioid maintenance treatment," and "severe mental disorder" in conjunction with "prison," "jail," "detention," and "incarceration." RESULTS Among prisoners in German prisons, approximately 20% consume heroin, 20-50% suffer from alcohol dependency and abuse, and 70-85% smoke. The prevalence of tuberculosis in German prisons in 2002 was 0.1%. The provision of needles to incarcerated persons has a preventive effect on infection with hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV, yet programs of this type have been discontinued in most penal facilities. In a systematic review, psychotic disorders were found in 3.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.1; 4.2]) of male inmates and 3.9% [95% CI: 2.7; 5.0] of female inmates. 25% of incarcerated persons suffer from attention-deficit-hyperac- tivity disorder. Persons recently released from prison have an above average mortality, largely due to drug intoxication. CONCLUSION An analysis of medical prescribing data reveals deficiencies in the provision of HCV treatment to all affected persons and in the provision of substitution treatment to persons with opiate dependency. In view of the known risks associated with imprisonment, greater emphasis should be placed on the provision of treatment for infectious diseases, substance dependencies, and mental illness, both in prison and in outpatient care after release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Opitz-Welke
- Prison Hospital Berlin, JVA Plötzensee, Berlin; Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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Crowley D, Murtagh R, Cullen W, Keevans M, Laird E, McHugh T, McKiernan S, Miggin SJ, O'Connor E, O'Reilly D, Betts-Symonds G, Tobin C, Van Hout MC, Lambert JS. Evaluating peer-supported screening as a hepatitis C case-finding model in prisoners. Harm Reduct J 2019; 16:42. [PMID: 31277665 PMCID: PMC6612120 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0313-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is endemic in prison populations, and HCV management in prisons is suboptimal. Incarceration is a public health opportunity to target this cohort. Community peer support increases HCV screening and treatment uptake. Prison peer workers have the potential to support the engagement of prisoners with health services and reduce stigma. This study's primary aim is to evaluate peer-supported screening as a model of active HCV case finding with a secondary aim to describe the HCV cascade among those infected including linkage to care and treatment outcomes. METHODS An observational study was conducted in a medium-security Irish male prison housing 538 inmates, using a risk-based questionnaire, medical records, peer-supported screening, laboratory-based HCV serology tests and mobile elastography. RESULTS A prison peer-supported screening initiative engaged large numbers of prisoners in HCV screening (n = 419). The mean age of participants was 32.8 years, 92% were Irish and 33% had a history of injecting drug use. Multiple risk factors for HCV acquisition were identified including needle sharing (16%). On serological testing, 87 (21%) were HCV Ab +ve and 50 (12%) were HCV RNA +ve of whom 80% were fibroscaned (25% showing evidence of liver disease). Eighty-six percent of those with active infection were linked with HCV care, with 33% undergoing or completing treatment. There was a high concordance with HCV disclosure at committal and serological testing (96% for HCV Ab +ve and 89% for HCV Ab -ve). CONCLUSION Peer-supported screening is an effective active HCV case-finding model to find and link prisoners with untreated active HCV infection to HCV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond Crowley
- Irish College of General Practitioners, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. .,School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Ross Murtagh
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Walter Cullen
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Tina McHugh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Eileen O'Connor
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | | | | - John S Lambert
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Jack K, Thomson BJ, Irving WL. Testing for hepatitis C virus infection in UK prisons: What actually happens? J Viral Hepat 2019; 26:644-654. [PMID: 30702194 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Prisons are a key demographic in the drive to eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a major public health threat. We have assessed the impact of the recently introduced national opt-out policy on the current status of HCV testing in 14 prisons in the East Midlands (UK). We analysed testing rates pre- and post-introduction of opt-out testing, together with face-to-face interviews with prison healthcare and management staff in each prison. In the year pre-opt-out, 1972 people in prison (PIP) were tested, compared to 3440 in the year following opt-out. From July 2016 to June 2017, 2706 people were tested, representing 13.5% of all prison entrants (median 16.6%, range 7.6%-40.7%). Factors correlating with testing rates were as follows: pre-admission location of the PIP (another prison or the community, OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9-2.3, P < 0.001); whether the PIP could access health care independently of prison officers (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-1.8, P < 0.001); the absence of out-reach services for HCV treatment (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.5, P < 0.001), whether >50% of PIP reported ease of access to a nurse (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.8-2.2, P < 0.001), and whether prison health care was supplied by private or NHS providers (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.5, P < 0.001). Testing rates remained far below the minimum national opt-out target of 50%. Inadequacy of healthcare facilities and constraints imposed by adherence to prison regimens were cited by healthcare and management staff at all prisons. Without radical change, the prison estate may be intrinsically incapable of supporting NHSE to deliver the HCV elimination strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Jack
- National Institute for Health Research Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Brian J Thomson
- National Institute for Health Research Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - William L Irving
- National Institute for Health Research Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Crespo J, Llerena S, Cobo C, Cabezas J, Cuadrado A. HCV Management in the Incarcerated Population: How Do We Deliver on This Important Front? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11901-019-00472-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Papaluca T, McDonald L, Craigie A, Gibson A, Desmond P, Wong D, Winter R, Scott N, Howell J, Doyle J, Pedrana A, Lloyd A, Stoove M, Hellard M, Iser D, Thompson A. Outcomes of treatment for hepatitis C in prisoners using a nurse-led, statewide model of care. J Hepatol 2019; 70:839-846. [PMID: 30654067 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Treatment programs for people who inject drugs (PWID), including prisoners, are important for achieving hepatitis C elimination targets. There are multiple barriers to treatment of hepatitis C in prisons, including access to specialist physicians, testing and antiviral therapy, short prison sentences, and frequent inter-prison transfer. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led model of care for the treatment of prisoners with hepatitis C. METHODS A statewide program for assessment and management of hepatitis C was developed in Victoria, Australia to improve access to care for prisoners. This nurse-led model of care is supported by telemedicine to provide decentralized care within all prisons in the state. We prospectively evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of this nurse-led model of care for hepatitis C within the 14 adult prisons over a 13-month period. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) using per protocol analysis. RESULTS There were 416 prisoners included in the analysis. The median age was 41 years, 90% were male, 50% had genotype 3 and 44% genotype 1 hepatitis C and 21% had cirrhosis. Injecting drug use was reported by 68% in the month prior to prison entry, 54% were receiving opioid substitution therapy, and 86% reported never previously engaging with specialist HCV care. Treatment duration was 8 weeks in 24%, 12 weeks in 59%, and 24 weeks in 17% of treatment courses. The SVR12 rate was 96% (301/313) per protocol. Inter-prison transfer occurred during 26% of treatment courses but was not associated with lower SVR12 rates. No treatment-related serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION Hepatitis C treatment using a decentralized, nurse-led model of care is highly effective and can reach large numbers of prisoners. Large scale prison treatment programs should be considered to support hepatitis C elimination efforts. LAY SUMMARY There is a high burden of hepatitis C infection among prisoners worldwide. Prisoners who continue to inject drugs are also at risk of developing new infections. For this reason, the prison setting provides an opportunity to treat those people at greatest risk of infection and to stop transmission to others. We developed a new method of providing hepatitis C treatment to prisoners, in which nurses rather than doctors assessed prisoners locally at each prison site. Treatment was safe and most prisoners were cured. Such programs will contribute greatly to achieving the World Health Organization's hepatitis C elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Papaluca
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lucy McDonald
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anne Craigie
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Annabelle Gibson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul Desmond
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Darren Wong
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Nick Scott
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Australia
| | - Jessica Howell
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia; Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne Australia
| | | | - Andrew Lloyd
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark Stoove
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Australia
| | - David Iser
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne Australia
| | - Alexander Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Stöver H, Meroueh F, Marco A, Keppler K, Saiz de la Hoya P, Littlewood R, Wright N, Nava F, Alam F, Walcher S, Somaini L. Offering HCV treatment to prisoners is an important opportunity: key principles based on policy and practice assessment in Europe. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:30. [PMID: 30621658 PMCID: PMC6323720 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6357-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Prisoners have a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but may find it difficult to access healthcare services. This may be related to risk behaviour including history of injecting drugs and marginalisation related to problem drug use/ opioid use disorder (OUD). Direct-acting antiviral products with superior efficacy and safety compared to interferon-based regimens offer HCV cure. Many citizens in Europe have been treated, although few received therapy in prisons. Methods Analysis of prisoner HCV treatment need and policy determinants of clinical practice was completed for 5 EU countries. Evidence was collected from national statistical sources and peer-reviewed publications to describe prison populations and HCV prevalence, to map national prison/ HCV health policy or guidance. A consensus of important principles for prisoner HCV care was developed. Results Data from published sources describing prisoner HCV prevalence is limited. Prisoner population requiring HCV treatment is not known; estimated numbers based on analysis of evidence: England and Wales, 9000, France, 8000, Spain, 6000, Italy, 6000, Germany, 6000. Treatment access: national law defines right to equivalent care in all countries implying access to HCV therapy in prison similar to community; useful prisoner HCV guidance facilitating treatment decisions present in: 4 of 5 national/ regional HCV policy documents, 4 of 5 national prison healthcare policies. Four of five had practical prison HCV clinical guidelines. Despite existence of policy, implementation of guidance, and so HCV treatment, is suboptimal in many locations. Conclusions Prison is an important location to detect, address and treat HCV infection in people who may be underserved for healthcare and find it difficult to navigate community treatment pathways. This is often related to problems with OUD and resulting social inequity. HCV management in prisons must be improved. Policy and clinical practice guidance must be set to promote treatment, and practical steps to make treatment easy should be followed including education to promote engagement, set-up of optimal screening and work up processes with modern tools to reduce time needed/ achieve efficiency; programs to make it easier to get specialists’ input include remote working and nurse-led services.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Stöver
- Institute of Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - F Meroueh
- Health Unit, Villeneuve les Maguelone, France
| | - A Marco
- Penitentiary Program, Catalan Health Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - N Wright
- Spectrum Community Health CIC, Wakefield, UK
| | - F Nava
- University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - F Alam
- Divisional Medical Director, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - S Walcher
- CONCEPT, Addiction Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - L Somaini
- Addiction Treatment Centre, Biella, Italy
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Treating HCV in a Captive Audience: Eradication Efforts in the Prison Microenvironment. Am J Gastroenterol 2018; 113:1585-1587. [PMID: 30038424 DOI: 10.1038/s41395-018-0201-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Testing for and treating Hepatitis C (HCV) patients in the prison setting is effective in the short term to reducing the overall burden of HCV in the prison microenvironment, with growing evidence that such efforts could yield substantial overall benefits in the effort to eradicate HCV in society. However, rates of reinfection are as yet unknown.
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