Point-of-care HCV RNA testing improves hepatitis C testing rates and allows rapid treatment initiation among people who inject drugs attending a medically supervised injecting facility.

BACKGROUND: To achieve hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination targets, simplified care engaging people who inject drugs is required. We evaluated whether fingerstick HCV RNA point-of-care testing (PoCT) increased the proportion of clients attending a supervised injecting facility who were tested for hepatitis C. METHODS: Prospective single-arm study with recruitment between 9 November 2020 and 28 January 2021 and follow-up to 31 July 2021. Clients attending the supervised injecting facility were offered HCV RNA testing using the Xpert® HCV Viral Load Fingerstick (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) PoCT. Participants with a positive HCV RNA test were prescribed direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. The primary endpoint was the proportion of clients who engaged in HCV RNA PoCT, compared to a historical comparator group when venepuncture-based hepatitis C testing was standard of care. RESULTS: Among 1618 clients who attended the supervised injecting facility during the study period, 228 (14%) engaged in PoCT. This was significantly higher than that observed in the historical comparator group (61/1,775, 3%; p < 0.001). Sixty-five (28%) participants were HCV RNA positive, with 40/65 (62%) receiving their result on the same day as testing. Sixty-one (94%) HCV RNA positive participants were commenced on DAA therapy; 14/61 (23%) started treatment on the same day as diagnosis. There was no difference in the proportion of HCV RNA positive participants commenced on treatment with DAA therapy when compared to the historical comparator group (61/65, 94% vs 22/26, 85%; p = 0.153). However, the median time to treatment initiation was significantly shorter in the PoCT cohort (2 days (IQR 1-20) vs 41 days (IQR 22-76), p < 0.001). Among participants who commenced treatment and had complete follow-up data available, 27/36 (75%) achieved hepatitis C cure. CONCLUSIONS: HCV RNA PoCT led to a significantly higher proportion of clients attending a supervised injecting facility engaging in hepatitis C testing, whilst also reducing the time to treatment initiation.

Eliminating hepatitis C in Australia: a novel model of hepatitis C testing and treatment for people who inject drugs at a medically supervised injecting facility.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of testing and treating people who inject drugs at a supervised injecting facility for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: People who inject drugs who attended the Melbourne supervised injecting facility, 30 June 2018 - 30 June 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of people tested for hepatitis C; proportions of people positive for anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA, and of eligible people prescribed direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment; sustained virological response twelve weeks or more after treatment completion. RESULTS: Of 4649 people who attended the supervised injecting facility during 2018-20, 321 were tested for hepatitis C (7%); 279 were anti-HCV antibody-positive (87%), of whom 143 (51%) were also HCV RNA-positive. Sixty-four of 321 had previously been treated for hepatitis C (20%), 21 had clinically identified cirrhosis (7%), eight had hepatitis B infections (2%), and four had human immunodeficiency virus infections (1%). In multivariate analyses, people tested for hepatitis C were more likely than untested clients to report psychiatric illness (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 9.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.26-12.8), not have a fixed address (aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.18-2.14), and to report significant alcohol use (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.06-2.32). The median number of injecting facility visits was larger for those tested for hepatitis C (101; interquartile range [IQR], 31-236) than for those not tested (20; IQR, 3-90). DAA treatment was prescribed for 126 of 143 HCV RNA-positive clients (88%); 41 of 54 with complete follow-up data were cured (76%). CONCLUSIONS: People who attend supervised injecting facilities can be tested and treated for hepatitis C on site. Models that provide streamlined, convenient hepatitis C care promote engagement with treatment in a group in which the prevalence of hepatitis C is high.

The onset and severity of acute opioid toxicity in heroin overdose cases: a retrospective cohort study at a supervised injecting facility in Melbourne, Australia.

AIM: To differentiate the severity of acute opioid toxicity and describe both the clinical and physiological features associated with heroin overdose in a cohort of witnessed overdose cases. METHODS: Witnessed heroin overdose cases over a 12-month period (30 June 2018 - 30 June 2019) at the Medically Supervised Injecting Room (MSIR) in Melbourne, Australia were examined. The severity of acute opioid toxicity was classified according to the level of clinical intervention required to manage the overdose cases where an escalating level of care was provided. Heroin overdose cases were classified into one of three graded severity categories and a fourth complicated heroin overdose category. RESULTS: A total of 1218 heroin overdose cases were identified from 60,693 supervised injecting visits over the study period. On the spectrum of toxicity, 78% (n = 955) of overdose cases were classified as Grade 1 severity, 7% (n = 83) as Grade 2 severity, and 13% (n = 161) as Grade 3 acute opioid toxicity severity cases, as well as 2% (n = 19) classified as complicated heroin overdose cases. The median onset time for heroin overdose cases was 17 min (IQR 11-28 min) from the time the individual was ready to prepare and inject heroin until clinical intervention was initiated. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that heroin overdose is a dynamic illness and cases differ in the severity of acute opioid toxicity. The risk of airway occlusion including positional asphyxia was an early and consistent feature across all levels of toxicity, while exaggerated respiratory depression together with exaggerated depression of consciousness was increasingly observed with greater levels of toxicity. We also demonstrated the importance of early intervention in overdose cases, where in a large cohort of heroin overdose cases there were no fatal outcomes, a very low hospitalisation rate and most cases were able to be managed to clinical resolution on-site.

Adapting harm reduction services during COVID-19: lessons from the supervised injecting facilities in Australia.

The COVID-19 crisis has had profound impacts on health service provision, particularly those providing client facing services. Supervised injecting facilities and drug consumption rooms across the world have been particularly challenged during the pandemic, as have their client group-people who consume drugs. Several services across Europe and North America closed due to difficulties complying with physical distancing requirements. In contrast, the two supervised injecting facilities in Australia (the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre-MSIC-in Sydney and the North Richmond Community Health Medically Supervised Injecting Room-MSIR-in Melbourne) remained open (as at the time of writing-December 2020). Both services have implemented a comprehensive range of strategies to continue providing safer injecting spaces as well as communicating crucial health information and facilitating access to ancillary services (such as accommodation) and drug treatment for their clients. This paper documents these strategies and the challenges both services are facing during the pandemic. Remaining open poses potential risks relating to COVID-19 transmission for both staff and clients. However, given the harms associated with closing these services, which include the potential loss of life from injecting in unsafe/unsupervised environments, the public and individual health benefits of remaining open are greater. Both services are deemed 'essential health services', and their continued operation has important benefits for people who inject drugs in Sydney and Melbourne.

Knowledge of naloxone and take-home naloxone programs among a sample of people who inject drugs in Australia: Variations across capital cities.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Take-home naloxone (THN) programs targeting people who inject drugs (PWID) have been running in some Australian states and territories since 2012. In this study, we aimed to determine the extent to which PWID in the capital cities of all Australian states and territories are aware of naloxone and THN programs, whether awareness of these programs has changed over time. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were obtained from cross-sectional surveys of a total of 2088 PWID conducted annually as part of the Illicit Drug Reporting System from 2013 to 2015. Specific questions about THN added to the survey in 2013 allowed assessment of the extent to which sampled PWID were aware of naloxone and its function and THN programs in Australia and whether they had participated in a THN program. These main outcomes were examined over time and across states and territories using a mix of descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: Over 80% of the sample reported having heard of naloxone across survey years. Less than half of the participants reported having heard of THN programs in 2013 (35%), but this increased to just over (52%) half in 2015 (P < 0.01). Changes over time differed across cities with increases in reports of having heard of THN occurring over time most clearly in those cities with operational THN programs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Around half of the PWID sampled for this study are aware of THN programs. Further work is needed to ensure widespread awareness of THN programs which should include implementing THN in all Australian states and territories.

Blood-borne virus transmission in an urban, culturally diverse neighbourhood: results from a cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey using innovative outreach methods in a hard-to-reach population.

Background Following a HIV outbreak among Aboriginal people in a culturally diverse inner-city suburb of Melbourne, a blood-borne virus (BBV) screening program was conducted to inform public health interventions to prevent transmission and facilitate timely diagnosis and linkage to care. METHODS: In August-September 2014, community health workers recruited people who inject drugs (PWID) from a local needle and syringe program. Participants were tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), HIV and syphilis and completed a bio-behavioural questionnaire. RESULTS: In total, 128 PWID participated in the study. Serological evidence of exposure to HCV and HBV was detected among 118 (93%) and 57 participants (45%) respectively. Five participants were HIV positive. Independent risk factors for needle sharing were Aboriginality (AOR=6.21, P<0.001), attending health care for mental health problems (AOR=2.79, P=0.023) and inability to access drug treatment in the previous 6 months (AOR=4.34, P=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: BBV prevalence in this sample was much higher than reported in other recent Australian studies. This local population is at high risk of further BBV transmission, particularly Aboriginal PWID. Individual and service-related factors associated with risk in the context of a dynamic urban drug culture and HIV outbreak suggest an urgent need for tailored harm-reduction measures.

How does the use of multiple needles/syringes per injecting episode impact on the measurement of individual level needle and syringe program coverage?

BACKGROUND: Recent work by McCormack et al. (2016) showed that the inclusion of syringe stockpiling improves the measurement of individual-level syringe coverage. We explored whether including the use of a new parameter, multiple sterile syringes per injecting episode, further improves coverage measures. METHODS: Data comes from 838 people who inject drugs, interviewed as part of the 2015 Illicit Drug Reporting System. Along with syringe coverage questions, the survey recorded the number of sterile syringes used on average per injecting episode. We constructed three measures of coverage: one adapted from Bluthenthal et al. (2007), the McCormack et al. measure, and a new coverage measure that included use of multiple syringes. Predictors of multiple syringe use and insufficient coverage (<100% of injecting episodes using a sterile syringe) using the new measure, were tested in logistic regression and the ability of the measures to discriminate key risk behaviours was compared using ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: 134 (16%) participants reported needing multiple syringes per injecting episode. Women showed significantly increased odds of multiple syringe use, as did those reporting injection related injuries/diseases and injecting of opioid substitution drugs or pharmaceutical opioids. Levels of insufficient coverage across the three measures were substantial (20%-28%). ROC curve analysis suggested that our new measure was no better at discriminating injecting risk behaviours than the existing measures. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, there appears to be little need for adding a multiple syringe use parameter to existing coverage formulae. Hence, we recommend that multiple syringe use is not included in the measurement of individual-level syringe coverage.

Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Previous research into psychological distress among people who inject drugs (PWID) is predominantly cross-sectional; we determined longitudinal predictors of change in psychological distress among a cohort of PWID. METHOD: We examined Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) scores from 564 PWID (66% male) enrolled in the Melbourne Injecting Drug User Cohort Study. Gender-stratified linear models with fixed effects for each participant were used to examine correlates of change in individual K10 scores. Further linear regressions of adjusted K10 scores were used to measure correlations between demographic variables. RESULTS: Participants reported higher K10 scores (higher psychological distress) than the general Australian population (mean K10 scores 23.4 (95%CI 22.6-24.2) and 14.5 (95%CI 14.3-14.7) respectively). The cohort's mean K10 score did not significantly differ over time, but individual variations were common. Women reported higher K10 scores than men (mean baseline K10 scores 25.2 (95%CI 23.9-26.6) and 22.4 (95%CI 21.5-23.3) respectively), however no significant differences remained after controlling for temporal factors. Key predictors of increases in K10 scores were being the victim of an assault in the past six months (P<0.001 for women and men) and intentionally overdosing in the past 12 months (P=.010 for women and P<0.001 for men). CONCLUSIONS: PWID experience higher levels of psychological distress than the general population. Temporal rather than individual factors may account for the higher levels of psychological distress reported among women. Interventions to reduce rates of assault and/or intentional overdose should be explored to reduce high levels of psychological distress among PWID.

Syringe Stockpiling by Persons Who Inject Drugs: An Evaluation of Current Measures for Needle and Syringe Program Coverage.

Needle and syringe program (NSP) coverage is commonly used to assess NSP effectiveness. However, existing measures don't capture whether persons who inject drugs (PWIDs) stockpile syringes, an important and novel aspect of NSP coverage. In this study, we determine the extent of stockpiling in a sample of Australian PWIDs and assess whether including stockpiling enhances NSP coverage measures. As part of the Illicit Drug Reporting System study, PWIDs reported syringes procured and given away, total injections in the last month, and syringes currently stockpiled in 2014. We calculated NSP coverage with and without stockpiling to determine proportional change in adequate NSP coverage. We conducted receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine whether inclusion of stockpiled syringes in the measure improved sensitivity in discriminating cases and noncases of risky behaviors. Three-quarters of the sample reported syringe stockpiling, and stockpiling was positively associated with nonindigenous background, stable accommodation, no prison history, longer injecting careers, and more frequent injecting. Compared with previous measures, our measure was significantly better at discriminating cases of risky behaviors. Our results could inform NSP policy to loosen restricted-exchange practice, allowing PWIDs greater flexibility in syringe procurement practices, promoting greater NSP coverage, and reducing PWIDs' engagement in risky behaviors.

Heavy alcohol consumption among marginalised African refugee young people in Melbourne, Australia: motivations for drinking, experiences of alcohol-related problems and strategies for managing drinking.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about substance use among resettled refugee populations. This study aimed to describe motivations for drinking, experiences of alcohol-related problems and strategies for managing drinking among marginalised African refugee young people in Melbourne, Australia. DESIGN: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 self-identified African refugees recruited from street-based settings in 2012-2013. Interview transcripts were analysed inductively to identify key themes. RESULTS: Participants gathered in public spaces to consume alcohol on a daily or near-daily basis. Three key motivations for heavy alcohol consumption were identified: drinking to cope with trauma, drinking to cope with boredom and frustration and drinking as a social experience. Participants reported experiencing a range of health and social consequences of their alcohol consumption, including breakdown of family relationships, homelessness, interpersonal violence, contact with the justice system and poor health. Strategies for managing drinking included attending counselling or residential detoxification programmes, self-imposed physical isolation and intentionally committing crime in order to be incarcerated. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted harm reduction education for African young people who consume alcohol. Given the importance of social relationships within this community, use of peer-based strategies are likely to be particularly effective. Development and implementation of programmes that address the underlying health and psychosocial causes and consequences of heavy alcohol use are also needed.

Can differences in the type, nature or amount of polysubstance use explain the increased risk of non-fatal overdose among psychologically distressed people who inject drugs?

BACKGROUND: This study investigates whether the type, nature or amount of polysubstance use can explain the increased risk of non-fatal overdose among people who inject drugs with severe psychological distress. METHODS: Data came from three years (2011-2013) of the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), an annual sentinel sample of injecting drug users across Australia (n=2673). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used on 14 drug types to construct five latent factors, each representing a type of polysubstance use. Tests of measurement invariance were carried out to determine if polysubstance use profiles differed between those with and without severe psychological distress. Next, we regressed non-fatal overdose on the polysubstance use factors with differences in the relationships tested between groups. FINDINGS: Among those with severe psychological distress a polysubstance use profile characterised by heroin, oxycodone, crystal methamphetamine and cocaine use was associated with greater risk of non-fatal overdose. Among those without severe psychological distress, two polysubstance use profiles, largely characterised by opioid substitution therapies and prescription drugs, were protective against non-fatal overdose. CONCLUSION: The types of polysubstance use profiles did not differ between people who inject drugs with and without severe psychological distress. However, the nature of use of one particular polysubstance profile placed the former group at a strongly increased risk of non-fatal overdose, while the nature of polysubstance use involving opioid substitution therapies was protective only among the latter group. The findings identify polysubstance use profiles of importance to drug-related harms among individuals with psychological problems.

Oral health-related quality of life among an Australian sample of people who inject drugs.

OBJECTIVES: People who inject drugs (PWID) have poor oral health. However, their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is unknown. Our study was designed to measure the OHRQoL of PWID. METHODS: The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) was administered to 794 PWID recruited in Australian capital cities as part of the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS). Three OHIP-14 summary indicators were examined: "Prevalence" (proportion reporting ≥1 item at least "fairly often"), "severity" (mean total OHIP-14 score), and "extent" (number of impacts reported at least "fairly often"). Associations between "prevalence" and "extent" and variables drawn from the health, drug use, and social domains were investigated. RESULTS: All OHIP-14 summary indicators among IDRS participants were significantly higher than in the general Australian population. In multivariate analysis, the "prevalence" indicator was significantly and positively associated with female gender [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.75, 95% CI 1.27-2.38], those born in Australia (AOR = 2, 95% CI 1.25-3.23), not completing Year 10 compared with those who had completed Year 12 or a higher qualification (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.03-2.44), and methadone treatment (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.14-2.29). The "extent" indicator was significantly and positively associated with female gender [adjusted incidence rate ratio (AIRR) = 1.56, 95% CI 1.19-2.08], unemployment (AIRR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.44), and having an injecting career of 10-20 years (AIRR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.03-3.01). CONCLUSIONS: PWID have poorer OHRQoL than the Australian general population. Poor OHRQoL was particularly common in female PWID and those with longer injecting careers. Interventions to improve the oral health of PWID may improve their OHRQoL.

Multiply disadvantaged: Health and service utilisation factors faced by homeless injecting drug consumers in Australia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Homelessness status is strongly correlated with higher rates of substance use. Few studies, however, examine the complex relationship between housing status and substance use in people who inject drugs (PWID). This study extends previous research by comparing the physical and mental health status and service utilisation rates between stably housed and homeless PWID. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 923 PWID were recruited for the 2012 Illicit Drug Reporting System. Multivariate models were generated addressing associations between homelessness and the domains of demographics; substance use; and health status, service utilisation and criminal justice system contact, with significant correlates entered into a final multivariate model. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the PWID sample were male. The median age was 39 years and 16% identified as Indigenous. Almost one-quarter (23%) reported that they were homeless. Homeless PWID were significantly more likely to be unemployed [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26, 6.34], inject in public (AOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.38, 3.18), have poorer mental health (AOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97, 1.00), report schizophrenia (AOR 2.31, 95% CI 1.16, 4.60) and have a prison history (AOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05, 2.21) than stably housed PWID. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the challenge of mental health problems for homeless PWID. Our results demonstrate that further research that evaluates outcomes of housing programs accommodating PWID, particularly those with comorbid mental health disorders, is warranted. Results also emphasise the need to better utilise integrated models of outreach care that co-manage housing and mental health needs.

Experiences of and attitudes toward injecting drug use among marginalized African migrant and refugee youth in Melbourne, Australia.

Little is known about injecting drug use (IDU) among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia. We interviewed 18 young people of African ethnicity (6 current/former injectors, 12 never injectors) about exposure and attitudes to IDU. Exposure to IDU was common, with IDU characterized as unnatural, risky and immoral. IDU was highly stigmatized and hidden from family and friends. There is a need for culturally appropriate programs to promote open dialogue about substance use to reduce stigma and prevent African youth who may use illicit drugs from becoming further marginalized.