A nationwide survey of hepatitis C services provided by drug treatment programs.
Drug treatment programs are a site of opportunity for the delivery of primary and secondary hepatitis C (HCV) prevention services to drug users, a population at great risk for contracting and transmitting the virus. Using data collected from a random nationwide sample (N = 439) of drug treatment programs in the United States, this study examines the extent to which various types of HCV services are provided to their patients. Findings indicate that the majority of drug treatment programs educate at least some of their patients about HCV, and provide some type of support for patients who are infected with the virus. Only 29 of the programs in the sample test all of their patients for HCV, however, and 99 programs test none of them. For the most part, residential treatment programs offer more HCV related services than outpatient drug-free programs.
Strauss
Shiela M
SM
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., New York, NY 10010, USA. strauss@ndri.org
Falkin
Gregory P
GP
Vassilev
Zdravko
Z
Des Jarlais
Don C
DC
Astone
Janetta
J
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003376:Counseling; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D014481:United States
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies