Description
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent blood-borne disease in the world, infecting more people in the United States than HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that injection drug users (IDUs) face the highest risk of HCV transmission due to their unsafe injection behaviors. With the CDC's recently released recommendation for persons born from 1945 to 1965 to be tested for HCV, it is important for public health leaders to know if HCV antibody testing is readily available and accessible for all populations, especially for IDUs. Considering the current lack of data and programs targeting this group, however, factors associated with and barriers to HCV antibody testing must be identified in order to make any necessary changes to health policy and practices regarding IDUs. From 2009-2010, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Study to Assess Hepatitis C Risk (STAHR) recruited young adult IDUs in San Diego to complete a risk assessment interview. This secondary analysis of UCSD STAHR data used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with prior HCV antibody testing among IDUs within the following four domains: sociodemographic factors, utilization of health services, knowledge and risk perception of hepatitis C, and risky injection behaviors. Among 480 current IDUs who met inclusion criteria, 48% had been tested for HCV antibody prior to their participation in UCSD STAHR. Prior HCV antibody testing was significantly associated with utilization of health services, specifically with having an HIV test and getting hepatitis B vaccinations. Findings from this study suggest a need for greater availability and accessibility of HCV testing services in locations that already offer HIV testing and hepatitis B vaccination services. Future studies are needed to assess the reasons behind successful HCV antibody testing among this high-risk population.
