The reflections of health service providers on implementing contingency management for methamphetamine use disorder in Australia.

INTRODUCTION: Contingency management (CM) is the most effective treatment for reducing methamphetamine use. We sought to understand why CM has not been taken up to manage methamphetamine use disorder in Australia. METHODS: Six focus groups (4-8 participants per group) were conducted with health workers from agencies in Australia that provided drug-related health care to people who use methamphetamine. These agencies had no previous experience delivering CM for substance use. The potential acceptability and feasibility of implementing CM in their services were discussed. RESULTS: Participants felt that it would be beneficial to have an evidence-based treatment for methamphetamine use disorder. This sentiment was offset by concerns that CM conflicted with a client-centred harm-reduction approach and that it dictated the goal of treatment as abstinence. It was also perceived as potentially coercive and seen to reify the power imbalance in the therapeutic relationship and therefore potentially reinforce stigma. There was also concern about the public's perception and the political acceptability of CM, who would fund CM, and the inequity of providing incentives only to clients with a methamphetamine use disorder. Some concerns could be ameliorated if the goals and structure of CM could be tailored to a client's needs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Many healthcare workers were keen to offer CM as an effective treatment option for people with methamphetamine use disorder, but CM would need to be sufficiently flexible to allow it to be tailored to client needs and implemented in a way that did not adversely impact the therapeutic relationship.

Factors associated with hepatitis C testing, treatment, and current hepatitis C infection among men and women who inject drugs: The ETHOS engage study.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating gender-specific trends in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment uptake among men and women who inject drugs is crucial for ensuring equitable progress towards HCV elimination. This study aimed to quantify differences in testing, treatment, and current HCV infection between men and women who inject drugs. METHOD: ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of people who inject drugs attending drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia recruited from May 2018-September 2019 (wave 1) and November 2019-April 2021 (wave 2). Participants completed a questionnaire including self-reported HCV testing and treatment history and underwent point-of-care HCV RNA testing (Xpert® HCV Viral Load Fingerstick). Logistic regression was used to compare the factors associated with self-reported HCV testing and treatment and current HCV infection for men and women who inject drugs. RESULTS: Among 2,395 participants enrolled in ETHOS Engage, 66% (n = 1,591) were men, 33% (n = 786) women, and <1% (n = 18) did not identify as a man or woman. HCV testing history and current infection were similar among men and women. Among men or women ever eligible for HCV treatment (ever chronic HCV) (n = 1,242), women were less likely to report a history of HCV treatment compared to men (227/352, 64% vs. 631/890, 71%; p = 0.03). Among women, those aged <45 were less likely to report HCV testing (aOR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.36, 0.90), treatment (aOR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.77), and more likely to have HCV infection (aOR: 1.48, 95%CI: 1.00, 2.20) CONCLUSION: Among women, those of childbearing age (<45) were less likely to report testing and treatment and were more likely to have current HCV infection. Women <45 years old should be a priority population for HCV care. Services that interface with these women should be optimised to enhance HCV testing and treatment.

Progress towards elimination of viral hepatitis: a Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission update.

The top 20 highest burdened countries (in disability-adjusted life years) account for more than 75% of the global burden of viral hepatitis. An effective response in these 20 countries is crucial if global elimination targets are to be achieved. In this update of the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission on accelerating the elimination of viral hepatitis, we convene national experts from each of the top 20 highest burdened countries to provide an update on progress. Although the global burden of diseases is falling, progress towards elimination varies greatly by country. By use of a hepatitis elimination policy index conceived as part of the 2019 Commission, we measure countries' progress towards elimination. Progress in elimination policy has been made in 14 of 20 countries with the highest burden since 2018, with the most substantial gains observed in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Russia. Most improvements are attributable to the publication of formalised national action plans for the elimination of viral hepatitis, provision of publicly funded screening programmes, and government subsidisation of antiviral treatments. Key themes that emerged from discussion between national commissioners from the highest burdened countries build on the original recommendations to accelerate the global elimination of viral hepatitis. These themes include the need for simplified models of care, improved access to appropriate diagnostics, financing initiatives, and rapid implementation of lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Direct-acting antiviral therapies for hepatitis C infection: global registration, reimbursement, and restrictions.

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have delivered high response rates (>95%) and simplified the management of HCV treatment, permitting non-specialists to manage patients without advanced liver disease. We collected and reviewed global data on the registration and reimbursement (government subsidised) of HCV therapies, including restrictions on reimbursement. Primary data collection occurred between Nov 15, 2021, and July 24, 2023, through the assistance of a global network of 166 HCV experts. We retrieved data for 160 (77%) of 209 countries and juristrictions. By mid-2023, 145 (91%) countries had registered at least one of the following DAA therapies: sofosbuvir-velpatasvir, sofosbuvir-velpatasvir-voxilaprevir, glecaprevir-pibrentasvir, sofosbuvir-daclatasvir, or sofosbuvir. 109 (68%) countries reimbursed at least one DAA therapy. Among 102 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), 89 (87%) had registered at least one HCV DAA therapy and 53 (52%) reimbursed at least one DAA therapy. Among all countries with DAA therapy reimbursement (n=109), 66 (61%) required specialist prescribing, eight (7%) had retreatment restrictions, seven (6%) had an illicit drug use restriction, five (5%) had an alcohol use restriction, and three (3%) had liver disease restrictions. Global access to DAA reimbursement remains uneven, with LMICs having comparatively low reimbursement compared with high-income countries. To meet WHO goals for HCV elimination, efforts should be made to assist countries, particularly LMICs, to increase access to DAA reimbursement and remove reimbursement restrictions-especially prescriber-type restrictions-to ensure universal access.

Typology of laws restricting access to methadone treatment in the United States: A latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, methadone treatment for opioid use disorder is only available at opioid treatment programs (OTPs). In addition to federal regulations, states can enact laws which shape access to OTPs. We aimed to define classes of states according to restrictiveness of state OTP laws and examine population characteristics associated with class membership. METHODS: A set of laws was extracted from a database of statutes and regulations governing OTPs in 49 states and the District of Columbia as of June 2021. Latent class analysis of laws was used to estimate the probability of class membership for each state. Class-weighted multinomial logistic regression analysis assessed state-level correlates of class membership and adjusted Relative Risk Ratio (aRRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were generated. RESULTS: States (n = 50) were assigned to three classes; Class 1) High restrictiveness on patient experience, low restrictiveness on access to service (n = 13); Class 2) Medium restrictiveness on patient experience, high restrictiveness on access to service (n = 14); Class 3) Low restrictiveness on patient experience, low restrictiveness on access to service (n = 23). States with a higher probability of membership in Classes with higher restrictiveness had higher rates of unemployment (Class 1 vs Class 3, aRRR:1.24; 95%CI:1.06-1.45), and Black residents (Class 2 vs Class 3, aRRR:1.10; 95%CI:1.04-1.15), and lower likelihood of Medicaid coverage of methadone (Class 1 vs Class 3, aRRR:0.25; 95%CI:0.07-0.88). States with a higher probability of membership in Classes with higher restrictiveness also had higher rates of potential indicators for opioid use disorder treatment need, including rates of opioid dispensing (Class 1 vs Class 3, aRRR:1.06; 95%CI:1.02-1.10, Class 2 vs Class 3, aRRR:1.07; 95%CI:1.03-1.11) and HIV diagnoses attributed to injection (Class 1 vs Class 3, aRRR:3.92; 95%CI:1.25-12.22). CONCLUSIONS: States with indicators of greater potential need for opioid use disorder treatment have the most restrictions, raising concerns about unmet treatment need.

Public reimbursement policies in Canada for direct-acting antiviral treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: A descriptive study.

Background: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies have simplified HCV treatment, and publicly funded Canadian drug plans have eliminated disease-stage restrictions for reimbursement of DAA therapies. However other policies which complicate, delay, or prevent treatment initiation still persist. We aim to describe these plans' existing reimbursement criteria and appraise whether they hinder treatment access. Methods: We reviewed DAA reimbursement policies of 16 publicly funded drug plans published online and provided by contacts with in-depth knowledge of prescribing criteria. Data were collected from May to July 2022. Primary outcomes were: (1) if plans have arranged to accept point-of-care HCV RNA testing for diagnosis; testing requirements for (2) HCV genotype, (3) fibrosis stage, and (4) chronic infection; (5) time taken and method used to approve reimbursement requests; (6) providers eligible to prescribe DAAs; and (7) restrictions on re-treatment. Results: Fifteen (94%) plans have at least one policy in place which limits simplified HCV treatment. Many plans continue to require results of genotype or fibrosis staging, limit eligible prescribers, and take longer than 1 day to approve coverage requests. One plan discourages treatment for re-infection. Conclusion: Reimbursement criteria set by publicly funded Canadian drug plans continue to limit timely, equitable access to HCV treatment. Eliminating clinically irrelevant pre-authorization testing, expanding eligible prescribers, expediting claims processing, and broadening coverage of treatment for reinfection will improve access to DAAs. The federal government could further enhance efforts by introducing a federal HCV elimination strategy or federal high-cost drug PharmaCare program.

Deimplementation in the provision of opioid agonist treatment to achieve equity of care for people engaged in treatment: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Deimplementation, the removal or reduction of potentially hazardous approaches to care, is key to progressing social equity in health. While the benefits of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are well-evidenced, wide variability in the provision of treatment attenuates positive outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, OAT services deimplemented aspects of provision which had long been central to treatment in Australia; supervised dosing, urine drug screening, and frequent in-person attendance for review. This analysis explored how providers considered social inequity in health of patients in the deimplementation of restrictive OAT provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Between August and December 2020, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 OAT providers in Australia. Codes relating to the social determinants of client retention in OAT were clustered according to how providers considered deimplementation in relation to social inequities. Normalisation Process Theory was then used to analyse the clusters in relation to how providers understood their work during the COVID-19 pandemic as responding to systemic issues that condition OAT access. RESULTS: We explored four overarching themes based on constructs from Normalisation Process Theory: adaptive execution, cognitive participation, normative restructuring, and sustainment. Accounts of adaptive execution demonstrated tensions between providers' conceptions of equity and patient autonomy. Cognitive participation and normative restructuring were integral to the workability of rapid and drastic changes within the OAT services. Key transformative actors included communities of practice and "thought leaders" who had long supported deimplementation for more humane care. At this early stage of the pandemic, providers had already begun to consider how this period could inform sustainment of deimplementation. When considering a future, post-pandemic period, several providers expressed discomfort at operating with "evidence-enough" and called for narrowly defined types of data on adverse events (e.g. overdose) and expert consensus on takeaway doses. CONCLUSIONS: The possibilities for achieving social equity in health are limited by the divergent treatment goals of providers and people receiving OAT. Sustained and equitable deimplementation of obtrusive aspects of OAT provision require co-created treatment goals, patient-centred monitoring and evaluation, and access to a supportive community of practice for providers.

Health-related quality of life among people who inject drugs in Australia.

PURPOSE: There is limited research on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people who inject drugs (PWID). We aimed to evaluate factors associated with HRQoL among a cohort of PWID in Australia. METHODS: Participants were enrolled in an observational cohort study (the LiveRLife Study) between 2014 and 2018 at 15 sites in Australia. They provided fingerstick whole-blood samples for point-of-care HCV RNA testing and underwent transient elastography to assess liver disease. Participants completed the EQ-5D-3L survey at enrolment. Regression models were used to assess the impact of clinical and socioeconomic characteristics on the EQ-5D-3L scores. RESULTS: Among 751 participants (median age, 43 years; 67% male), 63% reported injection drug use in the past month, 43% had current HCV infection, and 68% had no/mild liver fibrosis (F0/F1). The mean EQ-5D-3L and EQ-VAS scores were 0.67 and 62, respectively, for the overall study population. There was no significant difference in the EQ-5D-3L scores among people with and without recent injecting drug use (mean: 0.66 vs. 0.68, median: 0.73 vs. 0.78, P = 0.405), and among people receiving and not receiving opioid agonist therapy (mean: 0.66 vs. 0.68, median: 0.73 vs. 0.76, P = 0.215). Participants who were employed were found to have the highest mean EQ-5D-3L (0.83) and EQ-VAS scores (77). The presence of current HCV infection, liver fibrosis stage, and high-risk alcohol consumption had little impact on HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings provide important HRQoL data for economic evaluations, useful for guiding the allocation of resources for HCV elimination strategies and interventions among PWID.

Perceived access to opioid agonist treatment in prison among people with a history of injection drug use: A qualitative study.

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 the 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).

Factors associated with hepatitis C treatment uptake among females of childbearing age in New South Wales, Australia: A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Females of childbearing age with hepatitis C virus (HCV) face increased marginalisation with intersecting, sex-specific barriers to direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. We assessed the factors associated with uptake of DAA therapy among females of childbearing age, including those with evidence of recent drug dependence. METHODS: HCV notifications in New South Wales, Australia (1995-2017) were linked to opioid agonist therapy (OAT), hospitalisations, incarcerations, perinatal, HIV notifications, deaths and prescription databases. Recent drug dependence was defined as hospitalisation due to injectable drugs or receipt of OAT occurring in the DAA era (2016-2018). Logistic regression was used to analyse factors associated with DAA uptake among females of childbearing age (18-44), including those with recent drug dependence. RESULTS: Among 57,467 people with evidence of chronic HCV in the DAA era (2016-2018), 20,161 (35%) were female, including 33% (n = 6563/20,161) of childbearing age (18-44). Among all females of childbearing age (n = 6563) and those with evidence of recent drug dependence (n = 2278/6563, 35%), DAA uptake was lower among those who had given birth in the DAA era (vs. no birth record, all females of childbearing age; aOR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.61, 0.89; those with recent drug dependence; aOR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51, 0.93) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (all females of childbearing age; aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.71, 0.93; those with recent drug dependence aOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62, 0.90). CONCLUSION: Females of childbearing age should be considered a key population for DAA therapy. Enhancing antenatal and postnatal HCV care may be critical in the pursuit towards elimination.

Perspectives and sentiments on contingency management from people who use methamphetamine.

INTRODUCTION: Contingency management (CM) is currently the most efficacious treatment for methamphetamine use, yet it is rarely available in routine care. We examined the viewpoints of people who use methamphetamine on CM as a potential treatment for methamphetamine use disorder. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 30 Australians aged 18 years or older who had used methamphetamine at least weekly in the past 6 months. RESULTS: Participants reported overall positive attitudes towards CM as a potential treatment option for methamphetamine use disorder. However, there was need for greater flexibility in meeting participant treatment goals (e.g., reduced use or complete abstinence), with particular concern about the viability of initiating abstinence, both in terms of the sufficiency of the initial financial incentive and managing withdrawal symptoms. There was strong interest in the use of digital technologies to provide remote CM, particularly around the convenience and flexibility this offered. Despite this, participants remained keen to access adjunctive treatment and support services but stressed that engagement with these additional services should not be mandatory. Marketing of CM will need to address preconceptions about drug-testing used in abstinence-based CM being punitive (especially urine testing) and its connotations with criminal justice interventions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Positive attitudes towards CM bode well for potential uptake should CM be made available in routine clinical practice. However, there is a need to adapt CM to ensure it is feasible and attractive to people who are seeking treatment for methamphetamine use disorder.

"You'll come in and dose even in a global pandemic": A qualitative study of adaptive opioid agonist treatment provision during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) improves multiple health and social outcomes, yet requirements to attend for supervised dosing can be burdensome and stigmatising. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions threatened continuity of care and the wellbeing of people receiving OAT, risking a parallel health crisis. This study sought to understand how adaptations in the complex system of OAT provision impacted and responded to risk environments of people receiving OAT during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The analysis draws on semi-structured interviews with 40 people receiving and 29 people providing OAT located across Australia. The study considered the risk environments that produce COVID-19 transmission, treatment (non-)adherence, and adverse events for people receiving OAT. Drawing on theories of risk environments and complex adaptive systems, data were coded and analysed to understand how adaptations to the typically rigid system of OAT provision impacted and responded to risk environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: During COVID-19, the complex system of OAT provision demonstrated possibilities for responsive adaptation to the entangled features of risk environments of people receiving OAT. Structural stigma was evident in the services which stayed rigid during the pandemic, requiring people to attend for daily supervised dosing and risking fracturing therapeutic relationships. In parallel, there were several examples of services developing enabling environments by offering flexible care through increased takeaways, treatment subsidies, and home delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Rigidity in the delivery of OAT has been an impediment to achieving health and wellbeing over past decades. To sustain health-promoting environments for people receiving OAT, the wider impacts of the complex system should be acknowledged beyond narrowly defined outcomes relating solely to the medication. Centring people receiving OAT in their own care plans will ensure adaptations in the complex system of OAT provision are responsive to the individual's risk environment.

Interventions to enhance testing and linkage to treatment for hepatitis C infection for people who inject drugs: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the advent of direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV), the World Health Organization recommended a goal to eliminate HCV as a public health threat globally by 2030. With the majority of new and existing infections in high income countries occurring among people who inject drugs, achieving this goal will require the design and implementation of interventions which address the unique barriers to HCV care faced by this population. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched bibliographic databases and conference abstracts to July 21, 2020 for studies assessing interventions to improve the following study outcomes: HCV antibody testing, HCV RNA testing, linkage to care, and treatment initiation. We included both randomised and non-randomised studies which included a comparator arm. We excluded studies which enrolled only paediatric populations (<18 years old) and studies where the intervention was conducted in a different healthcare setting than the control or comparator. This analysis was restricted to studies conducted among people who inject drugs. Data were extracted from the identified records and meta-analysis was used to pool the effect of interventions on study outcomes. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020178035). FINDINGS: Of 15,342 unique records, 45 studies described the implementation of an intervention to improve HCV testing, linkage to care and treatment initiation among people who inject drugs. These included 27 randomised trials and 18 non-randomised studies with the risk of bias rated as "critical" for most non-randomised studies. Patient education and patient navigation to address patient-level barriers to HCV care were shown to improve antibody testing uptake and linkage to HCV care respectively although patient education did not improve antibody testing when restricted to randomised studies. Provider care coordination to address provider level barriers to HCV care was effective at improving antibody testing uptake. Three different interventions to address systems-level barriers to HCV care were effective across different stages of HCV care: point-of-care antibody testing (linkage to care); dried blood-spot testing (antibody testing uptake); and integrated care (linkage to care and treatment initiation). INTERPRETATION: Multiple interventions are available that can address the barriers to HCV care for people who inject drugs at the patient-, provider-, and systems-level. The design of models of care to improve HCV testing and treatment among people who inject drugs must consider the unique barriers to care that this population faces. Further research, including high-quality randomised controlled trials, are needed to robustly assess the impact these interventions can have in varied populations and settings.

People engaged in opioid agonist treatment as a counterpublic during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: People receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are at higher risk of comorbidities, poverty and discrimination, which Big Events like the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate. The behaviours of people receiving OAT do not always align with normative behaviours as conceived by ruling institutions and laws, and so the group becomes a counterpublic, not imagined in mainstream public discourse. The aim of this study was to understand how people receiving OAT, as a counterpublic, implemented practises of care to mitigate negative health outcomes during COVID-19. METHODS: Participants were recruited via eight peer-led organisations across Australia. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were completed between August and December 2020 with 40 people receiving OAT. The analysis centres practises of care, allowing interactions that influence the health of participants, to be understood in their unique contexts. RESULTS: Aspects of the COVID-19 state response were designed for an idealised public, demonstrated by the increased policing that accompanied enforcement of restrictions which was detrimental to the wellbeing of people receiving OAT. Counterpublic health strategies employed by people receiving OAT were disrupted, but participants were often able to adapt to the changing context. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study elucidates how practises of care among people receiving OAT are enacted and disrupted during a Big Event, with implications beyond the COVID-19 pandemic for future Big Events. The study findings evidence the need for policies that mitigate the impact of Big Events such as supporting re-groupment within the counterpublic, legitimising counterpublic health strategies and stopping the criminalisation of people who use drugs.

Optimising community health services in Australia for populations affected by stigmatised infections: What do service users want?

Stigma in health services undermines diagnosis, treatment and successful health outcomes for all communities, but especially for those affected by blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study sought to examine experiences in accessing and receiving health services, including what characteristics promoted better health, safety and well-being for people with blood-borne viruses or STIss. It conducted 46 in-depth interviews with people who inject drugs, gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, people in custodial settings, culturally and linguistically diverse people, Indigenous Australians and young people in one Australian urban community setting. Findings reveal that stigma persists in the provision of healthcare services, and that previous experiences of discrimination or fear of mistreatment may result in a reluctance to continue to access services. On-going staff training and education are important to ensure healthcare environments are welcoming and inclusive. Specialised services and services that employed peers were seen as favourable. Attending different services for different health needs created particular access challenges and undermined participant ability to engage in more holistic healthcare. The fragmented structure of health services was thus seen as a barrier to accessing health services, and stronger collaboration between health services is recommended.

Perceptions of hepatitis C treatment and reinfection risk among HIV-positive men who have sex with men and engage in high risk behaviours for hepatitis C transmission: The CEASE qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, treatment uptake for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among HIV-HCV coinfected men who have sex with men (MSM) has substantially increased since the advent of interferon-free direct-acting antivirals (DAA). However, HIV-positive MSM who engage in high risk behaviours are at an increased risk of HCV reinfection post-treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate perceptions of HCV diagnosis, treatment and reinfection risk among HCV-HIV coinfected MSM who engage in drug use and/or high risk sexual behavior in Sydney, Australia. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the Control and Elimination within AuStralia of HEpatitis C from people living with HIV (CEASE) cohort (n=402) who reported engaging in drug use and/or high risk sexual behavior for transmission of HCV infection. Participants were interviewed about their perceptions of HCV diagnosis, treatment, and reinfection risk. Interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Of 33 participants interviewed (mean age 49 years), many participants were 'shocked' by their HCV diagnosis. Participants who believed they acquired HCV infection through sexual exposure felt it was important that their healthcare practitioner agreed with their perspective to mitigate stigmatizing experiences. Overall, participants expressed high satisfaction with their treatment experience due to long-standing therapeutic relationships with their HIV physician. Many participants expressed knowledge of how to prevent HCV reinfection from injection drug use, yet other than condom usage, most were unsure how to reduce high risk sexual activity with such discussions occurring less frequently with healthcare practitioners. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that MSM who engage in drug use and high risk sexual activity would benefit from additional education on reducing reinfection risk through sexual activity and services to reduce substance use, if requested.

A Testing Campaign Intervention Consisting of Peer-Facilitated Engagement, Point-of-Care HCV RNA Testing, and Linkage to Nursing Support to Enhance Hepatitis C Treatment Uptake among People Who Inject Drugs: The ETHOS Engage Study.

This study evaluated HCV treatment initiation among people who inject drugs (PWID) following an intervention of campaign days involving peer connection, point-of-care HCV RNA testing, and linkage to nursing support. ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of PWID attending 25 drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia (May 2018-September 2019). Point-of-care results were provided to the nurse, facilitating confirmatory testing and treatment. The study aimed to evaluate treatment uptake and factors associated with treatment at 24 months post-enrolment. There were 317 people with current HCV infection and eligible for treatment (median age 43, 65% male, 15% homeless, 69% receiving opioid agonist treatment, 70% injected in last month). Overall, 15% (47/317), 27% (85/317), 38% (120/317), and 49% (155/317) of people with current HCV infection had initiated treatment at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months following testing, respectively. Homelessness (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.23, 0.71) and incarceration in the past 12 months (vs. never, aHR:0.46; 0.28, 0.76) were associated with decreased treatment initiation in the 24 months post-enrolment. This testing campaign intervention facilitated HCV treatment uptake among PWID. Further interventions are needed to achieve HCV elimination among people experiencing homelessness or incarceration.