Community-based, point-of-care hepatitis C testing: perspectives and preferences of people who inject drugs

Journal of Viral Hepatitis
Ned H LathamMargaret Hellard

Abstract

A barrier to hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs (PWID) is needing to attend multiple appointments for diagnosis. Point-of-care hepatitis C tests provide results within 20 to 105 minutes and can be offered opportunistically in nonclinical settings such as needle syringe programmes. In this nested qualitative study, we explored the acceptability of point-of-care testing for PWID. PWID attending participating needle syringe programmes were screened using the OraQuick HCV antibody mouth swab (result in 20 minutes); those with a reactive result then underwent venepuncture for a point-of-care RNA test: the Xpert HCV Viral Load (result in 105 minutes). Convenience sampling was used to select participants for a semi-structured interview. A hybrid thematic analysis was performed, guided by Sekhon's "Theoretical Framework of Acceptability." Nineteen participants were interviewed. Three core themes emerged: "people and place," "method of specimen collection," and "rapidity of result return." It was highly acceptable to be offered testing at the needle syringeprogrammes by nurses and community health workers, who were described as competent and nonjudgemental. Most participants reported that even if a finger-stick point-of-c...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 8, 2020·Cells·Yinzong XiaoJessica Howell
Jul 31, 2020·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Tyler S BartholomewDaniel J Feaster
Aug 9, 2020·Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology : the Official Clinical Practice Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association·David SmooklerJordan J Feld

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