https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:30811 12 weeks post-treatment). Results: Among 93 people treated, 59% had recently injected drugs (past month), 77% were receiving OST and 56% injected drugs during therapy. Overall, 76% completed treatment. Mean on-treatment adherence to PEG-IFN and ribavirin were 98.2% and 94.6%. Overall, 6% of participants missed >1 dose of PEG-IFN and 31% took <95% of their prescribed ribavirin., Higher treatment completion was observed among those receiving 12 vs. 24 weeks of treatment (97% vs. 46%, P < 0.001) while the proportion of participants with 95% on-treatment ribavirin adherence was similar between groups (67% vs. 72%, P = 0.664). Receiving 12 weeks of therapy was independently associated with treatment completion. No factors were associated with 95% RBV adherence. Neither recent injecting drug use at baseline nor during therapy was associated with treatment completion or adherence to ribavirin. In adjusted analysis, treatment completion was associated with SVR (aOR 23.9, 95% CI 2.9–193.8). Conclusions: This study demonstrated a high adherence to directly observed PEG-IFN and self-administered ribavirin among people with ongoing injecting drug use or receiving OST. These data also suggest that shortening therapy from 24 to 12 weeks can lead to improved treatment completion. Treatment completion was associated with improved response to therapy.]]> Thu 28 Oct 2021 13:03:33 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:19960 Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:58:34 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:26484 ®), and willingness and intent to receive HCV treatment among persons with a history of injection drug use participating in a liver health promotion campaign. Methods: The LiveRLife campaign involved three phases: (1) campaign resource development; (2) campaign resource testing; and (3) campaign implementation. Participants were enrolled in an observational cohort study with recruitment at four clinics - one primary health care facility, two OST clinics, and one medically supervised injecting centre - in Australia between May and October 2014. Participants received educational material, nurse clinical assessment, TE assessment, dried blood spot testing, and completed a knowledge survey. Results: Of 253 participants (mean age 43 years), 68% were male, 71% had injected in the past month, and 75% self-reported as HCV positive. Median knowledge score was 16/23. In adjusted analysis, less than daily injection (AOR 5.01; 95% CI, 2.64-9.51) and no daily injection in the past month (AOR 3.54; 95% CI, 1.80-6.94) were associated with high knowledge (≥16). TE was the most preferred method both pre- (66%) and post-TE (89%) compared to liver biopsy and blood sample. Eighty-eight percent were 'definitely willing' or 'somewhat willing' to receive HCV treatment, and 56% intended to start treatment in the next 12 months. Approximately 68% had no/mild fibrosis (F0/F1, ≥2.5 to ≤7.4. kPa), 13% moderate fibrosis (F2, ≥7.5 to ≤9.4. kPa), 10% severe fibrosis (F3, ≥9.5 to ≤12.4. kPa), and 9% had cirrhosis (F4, ≥12.5. kPa). Conclusion: Liver disease and HCV knowledge was moderate. High acceptability of TE by PWID provides strong evidence for the inclusion of TE in HCV-related care, and could help to prioritise HCV treatment for those at greatest risk of liver disease progression.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:35:30 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:26933 Opioid Treatment Index social functioning scale. Those classified in the highest quartile (score >6) were considered having lower social functioning. Analyses were performed using logistic regression. Results: Among 415 participants (mean age 41 years, 71% male), 24% were considered having lower social functioning, 70% had early HCV treatment intent (intention to be treated in the next 12 months), 53% were assessed by a specialist and 27% initiated treatment. Lower social functioning was independently associated with unemployment, unstable housing, recent injecting drug use and moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Lower social functioning was independently associated with reduced early HCV treatment intent (aOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.30-0.84) and lower specialist assessment (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.79), but not HCV treatment uptake (aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.40-1.43). Living with someone was independently associated with HCV treatment uptake (with someone and children: aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.01-5.14; with someone and no children: aOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.30-4.31), but not early HCV treatment intent or specialist assessment. Conclusions: This study highlights the need for the development and implementation of strategies targeting people who inject drugs with lower social functioning to enhance HCV treatment intent and specialist assessment. Further, strategies to enhance social support may play a role in increasing HCV treatment uptake.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:27:31 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:43014 Fri 09 Sep 2022 16:16:22 AEST ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:34078 12 weeks post-treatment). Results: Among 93 people with ongoing injecting drug use or receiving OST treated for HCV genotype 2/3, 59% had recently (past month) injected drugs, 77% were receiving OST and 56% injected drugs during therapy. Overall SVR was 66% (61/93). SVR was 84% in those with undetectable HCV RNA at week 4 (12 weeks) compared to 38% in those without (24 weeks). In adjusted analysis, cirrhosis vs. no/mild fibrosis [adjusted OR (aOR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.13, 0.86] predicted reduced SVR, while response at week 4 was associated with increased SVR [aOR 8.11, 95% CI 2.73, 24.10] . Recent injecting drug use at baseline or during therapy was not associated with SVR. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that people with recent injecting drug use or OST with chronic HCV can achieve responses to interferon-based therapy similar to other populations, despite injecting drugs prior to or during therapy. Cirrhosis was predictive of reduced response to HCV therapy, while response at week 4 (despite shortened therapy) was predictive of improved response.]]> Fri 03 Dec 2021 10:35:13 AEDT ]]>