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Yuan JM, Croxford S, Viviani L, Emanuel E, Phipps E, Desai M. Investigating the sociodemographic and behavioural factors associated with hepatitis C virus testing amongst people who inject drugs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: A quantitative cross-sectional analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 109:103821. [PMID: 35994940 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in the UK is driven by injecting drug use. We explore HCV testing uptake amongst people who inject drugs (PWID) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and identify factors associated with i) ever having an HCV test amongst people who have ever injected drugs, and ii) recently having an HCV test (within the current or previous year) amongst people who currently inject drugs (reported injecting drugs within the last year). METHODS We analysed data from the 2019 'Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring Survey' of PWID, using logistic regression. RESULTS Of 3,127 PWID, 2,065 reported injecting drugs within the last year. Most (86.7%) PWID had a lifetime history of HCV testing. In multivariable analysis, higher odds of ever testing were associated with: female sex (aOR=1.54; 95%CI 1.11-2.14), injecting duration ≥3 years (aOR=2.94; 95%CI 2.13-4.05), ever receiving used needles/syringes (aOR=1.74; 95%CI 1.29-2.36), ever being on opioid agonist treatment (aOR=2.91; 95%CI 2.01-4.21), ever being imprisoned (aOR=1.86; 95%CI 1.40-2.48) and ever being homeless (aOR=1.54; 95%CI 1.14-2.07). Amongst PWID who had injected drugs within the last year, 49.9% had recently undertaken an HCV test. After adjustment, factors associated with higher odds of undertaking a recent HCV test included: injecting crack in the last year (aOR=1.29; 95%CI 1.03-1.61), experiencing a non-fatal overdose in the last year (aOR=1.39; 95%CI 1.05-1.85), ever being on opioid agonist treatment (aOR=1.48; 95%CI 0.97-2.25), receiving HCV information in the last year (aOR=1.99; 95%CI 1.49-2.65) and using a healthcare service in the last year (aOR=1.80; 95%CI 1.21-2.67). CONCLUSION Results suggest that PWID who have experienced homelessness and incarceration - amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised in the PWID population - are engaging with HCV testing, but overall there remain missed testing opportunities. Recent initiates to injecting have highest HCV infection risk but lower odds of testing, and peer-education may help target this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Min Yuan
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK.
| | - Sara Croxford
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Laura Viviani
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Eva Emanuel
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Emily Phipps
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Monica Desai
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
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Furukawa NW, Blau EF, Reau Z, Carlson D, Raney ZD, Johnson TK, Deputy NP, Sami S, McClung RP, Neblett-Fanfair R, de Fijter S, Ingram T, Thoroughman D, Vogel S, Lyss SB. Missed Opportunities for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing During Injection Drug Use-Related Healthcare Encounters Among a Cohort of Persons Who Inject Drugs With HIV Diagnosed During an Outbreak-Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, 2017-2018. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:1961-1967. [PMID: 32748940 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persons who inject drugs (PWID) have frequent healthcare encounters related to their injection drug use (IDU) but are often not tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We sought to quantify missed opportunities for HIV testing during an HIV outbreak among PWID. METHODS PWID with HIV diagnosed in 5 Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky counties during January 2017-September 2018 who had ≥1 encounter 12 months prior to HIV diagnosis in 1 of 2 Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area healthcare systems were included in the analysis. HIV testing and encounter data were abstracted from electronic health records. A missed opportunity for HIV testing was defined as an encounter for an IDU-related condition where an HIV test was not performed and had not been performed in the prior 12 months. RESULTS Among 109 PWID with HIV diagnosed who had ≥1 healthcare encounter, 75 (68.8%) had ≥1 IDU-related encounters in the 12 months before HIV diagnosis. These 75 PWID had 169 IDU-related encounters of which 86 (50.9%) were missed opportunities for HIV testing and occurred among 46 (42.2%) PWID. Most IDU-related encounters occurred in the emergency department (118/169; 69.8%). Using multivariable generalized estimating equations, HIV testing was more likely in inpatient compared with emergency department encounters (adjusted relative risk [RR], 2.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70-4.33) and at the healthcare system receiving funding for emergency department HIV testing (adjusted RR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.10-2.82). CONCLUSIONS PWID have frequent IDU-related encounters in emergency departments. Enhanced HIV screening of PWID in these settings can facilitate earlier diagnosis and improve outbreak response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Furukawa
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Erin F Blau
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Kentucky Department for Public Health, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
| | - Zach Reau
- Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - David Carlson
- Hamilton County Public Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Zachary D Raney
- Northern Kentucky Health Department, Florence, Kentucky, USA
| | - Tisha K Johnson
- Kentucky Department for Public Health, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
| | - Nicholas P Deputy
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Samira Sami
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert P McClung
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Robyn Neblett-Fanfair
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Tim Ingram
- Hamilton County Public Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Doug Thoroughman
- US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Kentucky Department for Public Health, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA.,Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephanie Vogel
- Northern Kentucky Health Department, Florence, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sheryl B Lyss
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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Bayani A, Ghiasvand H, Rezaei O, Fattah Moghaddam L, Noroozi A, Ahounbar E, Higgs P, Armoon B. Factors associated with HIV testing among people who inject drugs: a meta-analysis. J Addict Dis 2020; 38:361-374. [DOI: 10.1080/10550887.2020.1771235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Bayani
- Student Research Committee, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hesam Ghiasvand
- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Health Economics Group, Medical School, Saint Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Omid Rezaei
- Fellowship of Psychosomatic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ladan Fattah Moghaddam
- Department of nursing, faculty of nursing and midwifery, Tehran medical sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Noroozi
- Psychiatrist, Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Ahounbar
- Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Peter Higgs
- Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bahram Armoon
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarized the recent evidence on the performance of population-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening, published and indexed to PubMed, in the Unite States during the 2-year window from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018. RECENT FINDINGS A majority of the selected articles in this review focused on the birth cohort 1945-1965 because of the HCV screening recommendations released after August 2012. However, the articles for the high-risk population applied to all ages because the recommendations for this specific population have remained largely unchanged since 1998. The reported rates of HCV screening varied substantially not only across the three different populations (i.e. general, underserved, and high-risk) but also within each population. SUMMARY More vigilant monitoring of HCV screening performance of younger birth cohorts is needed as these individuals have been experiencing a higher incidence of HCV infection than those in the birth cohort 1945-1965. In addition, to meet the goal of eliminating HCV infection as a US public health problem by 2030, significant improvement in more accurately and comprehensively reporting the trends in population-based HCV screening across different populations is warranted in the future.
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Marotta PL, Gilbert L, Terlikbayeva A, Wu E, El-Bassel N. Differences by sex in associations between injection drug risks and drug crime conviction among people who inject drugs in Almaty, Kazakhstan. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2018; 60:96-106. [PMID: 30219718 PMCID: PMC6340710 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The criminalization of drug use leads to high rates of drug crime convictions for engaging in injection drug use behaviors, introducing barriers to HIV prevention and drug treatment for PWID. Females (FWID) face unique vulnerabilities to HIV compared to males (MWID) in Kazakhstan. This study examined sex differences in associations between HIV/HCV infection, HIV knowledge, injection drug risk behaviors, and conviction for a drug crime in a sample of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. METHODS Analyses were performed on baseline data from 510 PWID and stratified by males (MWID) (329) and females (FWID) (181) from Kazakhstan in a couples-focused HIV prevention intervention. Logistic regression analyses using mixed effects (AOR) examined associations between HIV/HCV infection, HIV knowledge, injection drug risk behaviors, drug use severity, drug treatment history and conviction for a drug crime. RESULTS About three quarters of PWID reported drug crime conviction (73.92%, n = 377). HCV infection was associated with increased odds of drug crime conviction for FWID (AOR = 4.35, CI95 = 1.83-10.31, p < .01) and MWID (AOR = 3.62, CI95 = 1.09-12.07, p < .01). HIV transmission knowledge was associated with increased odds of conviction for MWID (AOR = 1.19, CI95 = 1.00-1.41, p < .05). Injection drug risk knowledge was associated with lower odds of conviction (AOR = .75, CI95 = .59-.94, p < .05) for FWID. Receptive syringe sharing (AOR = 3.48, CI95 = 1.65-7.31, p < .01), splitting drug solutions (AOR = 4.12, CI95 = 1.86-7.31, p < .05), and injecting with more than two partners (AOR = 1.89, CI95 = 1.06-3.34, p < .05) was associated with increased odds of conviction for FWID. Receptive syringe or equipment sharing with intimate partners was associated with conviction for both MWID (AOR = 1.90, CI95 = 1.03-3.92, p < .05) and FWID (AOR = 1.95, CI95 = 1.02-3.70, p < .05). For FWID, injection drug use in public spaces was associated with conviction (AORME = 3.25, CI95 = 1.31-7.39, p < .01). Drug use severity was associated with increased odds of conviction for FWID (AOR = 1.29, CI95 = 1.09-1.53, p < .001) and MWID (AOR = 1.24, CI95 = 1.09-1.41, p < .001). Ever receiving drug treatment was associated with conviction for MWID (AOR = 2.31, CI95 = 1.32-4.12, p < .01). CONCLUSION High-risk behaviors, HCV infection and more severe substance use disorders are associated with drug crime conviction for PWID, particularly FWID. Structural interventions are necessary to increase the engagement of PWID with drug crime convictions in HIV prevention and substance abuse treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louisa Gilbert
- Columbia University, United States; Global Research Center of Central Asia, Kazakhstan; Social Intervention Group, United States
| | | | - Elwin Wu
- Columbia University, United States; Global Research Center of Central Asia, Kazakhstan; Social Intervention Group, United States
| | - Nabila El-Bassel
- Columbia University, United States; Global Research Center of Central Asia, Kazakhstan; Social Intervention Group, United States
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Lorvick J, Browne EN, Lambdin BH, Comfort M. Polydrug use patterns, risk behavior and unmet healthcare need in a community-based sample of women who use cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Addict Behav 2018; 85:94-99. [PMID: 29883856 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of multiple illicit drugs (polydrug use) is associated with health-related harms and elevated risk of drug overdose. Polydrug use in common among women who use 'hard' drugs, such as cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. METHODS Quantitative data collection was conducted with a community-recruited sample of 624 women who used heroin, methamphetamine or cocaine in Oakland, CA during 2014-2015. We conducted latent class analysis to classify polydrug use patterns. We assessed associations between classes of polydrug use and infectious disease risk behaviors, health care utilization and unmet health care need. RESULTS We identified four distinct classes of drug use: (1) predominantly crack (52% of women); (2) powder cocaine & non-heroin opioids (8%); (3) moderate polydrug use (25%); (4) heavy polydrug use (15%). Odds of sexual risk, injection drug use and unmet healthcare need were twice as high in the heavy polydrug use class as the predominantly crack class (p > 0.01 for each outcome). The rate of binge drinking (as days per month) was also significantly higher in the heavy polydrug class (p = 0.01). The moderate polydrug use class had higher odds of injection drug use and drug treatment participation, compared to the mainly crack class (p < 0.001 for each outcome). There were no differences between classes in health insurance or health care utilization. DISCUSSION Reduction of polydrug use could be an effective harm reduction strategy to address sexual and injection risk among women. The use of both opioids and stimulants in three of the four classes suggests that multi-modal substance abuse treatment approaches may be most appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Lorvick
- RTI International, Behavioral and Urban Health Program, United States.
| | - Erica N Browne
- RTI International, Women's Global Health Imperative, United States
| | - Barrot H Lambdin
- RTI International, Behavioral and Urban Health Program, United States; University of Washington, United States
| | - Megan Comfort
- RTI International, Behavioral and Urban Health Program, United States; University of California, San Francisco, United States
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Lorvick J, Comfort M, Kral AH, Lambdin BH. Exploring Lifetime Accumulation of Criminal Justice Involvement and Associated Health and Social Outcomes in a Community-Based Sample of Women who Use Drugs. J Urban Health 2018; 95:584-593. [PMID: 29214435 PMCID: PMC6095749 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-017-0204-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Among people who use illegal drugs, engagement with the criminal justice (CJ) system often involves an ongoing, intermittent series of arrests, incarcerations, and periods of community supervision. The potential associations between the lifetime accumulation of CJ involvement and social and health outcomes is largely unexplored. In a cross-sectional sample of women who use crack, heroin, and/ or methamphetamine recruited from communities in Oakland, CA (N = 624), we developed an approach to characterize CJ accumulation. We used latent class analysis (LCA), a multivariate person-centered method that assumes an unobserved categorical variable that divides a population into a small number of mutually exclusive and exhaustive classes. Using observed measures of incarceration and community supervision as indicator variables, we developed a model of CJ accumulation that elucidates patterns of involvement as lived by the women in the sample. Based on model fit statistics, we selected a three-class model and labeled the classes "low," "medium," and "high." We then explored associations between the classes of CJ accumulation and health and health-related outcomes using logistic regression. The odds of homelessness (p for trend = 0.004), transience (p for trend = 0.017), and recent victimization (p for trend = 0.023) were higher among women in higher accumulation classes. Higher class of CJ accumulation was associated with higher odds of reporting unmet need for physical health care (p for trend < 0.001) and mental health care (p for trend = 0.002). The odds of physical health conditions, such as hepatitis C infection (p for trend < 0.001) and mental health conditions, such as depression (p for trend = 0.003), also increased with higher class of accumulation. While the findings described here are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study, they suggest that CJ accumulation is a potentially meaningful concept for assessing associations between the CJ system and health-related issues.
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Lambdin BH, Comfort M, Kral AH, Lorvick J. Accumulation of Jail Incarceration and Hardship, Health Status, and Unmet Health Care Need Among Women Who Use Drugs. Womens Health Issues 2018; 28:470-475. [PMID: 30061031 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Jail is frequently described as a "revolving door," which can be profoundly destabilizing to people moving in and out of the system. However, there is a dearth of research attempting to understand the impacts of the accumulation of incarceration events on women who use drugs. We examined the association of the frequency of jail incarceration with hardship, perceived health status, and unmet health care need among women who use drugs. METHODS Our community-based sample included women who use heroin, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and/or powder cocaine (N = 624) in Oakland, California, from 2012 to 2014. Poisson regression models with robust variances were built to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios between the frequency of jail incarcerations and measures of hardship, perceived health, and unmet health care need, adjusting for a set of a priori specified covariates. RESULTS We observed associations between high levels of jail frequency and higher levels of homelessness (p = .024), feeling unsafe in their living situation (p = .011), stress (p = .047), fair to poor mental health (p = .034), unmet mental health care need (p = .037), and unmet physical health care need (p = .041). We did not observe an association between jail frequency and unmet subsistence needs score or fair to poor physical health. CONCLUSIONS We observed associations between higher levels of jail frequency and a higher prevalence of hardship, poor mental health, and unmet health care need. Our findings suggest areas for additional research to untangle the impacts of frequent incarceration on women's health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barrot H Lambdin
- RTI-International, San Francisco, California; University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Megan Comfort
- RTI-International, San Francisco, California; University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Alex H Kral
- RTI-International, San Francisco, California
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