Does integrating viral hepatitis services into a public STD clinic attract injection drug users for care?
Public Health Rep
; 122 Suppl 2: 31-5, 2007.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17542450
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Injection drug users (IDUs) are at high risk for multiple health problems, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and are likely to have poor access to health care. To more effectively serve high-risk clients, experts recommend that programs accessed by such client populations offer integrated services. In 2000, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene integrated viral hepatitis services (vaccine and screening) into a publicly funded STD clinic. We evaluated integrated service delivery to high-risk IDUs at this clinic.METHODS:
Hepatitis data were reviewed to identify clients who self-reported as IDUs. STD medical records of these clients were abstracted to ascertain primary reason for clinic visit, STD/HIV services received, and diagnoses made.RESULTS:
Between May 2000 and March 2004, 8,778 individuals received hepatitis services, of whom 3% (279/8,778) reported injection drug use. Nearly 60% (161/279) of IDUs reported availability of hepatitis services as the primary reason for the clinic visit. Of these 161 clients, 103 (64%) also received other services; 54% (55/103) had an STD exam (yielding 12 new STD diagnoses), and 59% (61/103) had HIV counseling and testing (yielding two new HIV cases). Of these 103 clients, 31 (30%) were referred to the clinic for hepatitis services from a drug treatment center, and 77% (24/31) tested positive for the antibody to hepatitis C virus.CONCLUSIONS:
Integrated hepatitis services appeared to attract IDUs to this STD clinic, where many also benefited from STD/HIV exams, testing, treatment, and referrals they may not have received otherwise.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
/
4_TD
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis
/
Abuso de Substâncias por Via Intravenosa
/
Instituições de Assistência Ambulatorial
/
Hepatite Viral Humana
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Public Health Rep
Ano de publicação:
2007
Tipo de documento:
Article