title: Factors associated with interest in initiating treatment for hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection among young HCV-infected injection drug users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to identify factors associated with interest in receiving therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among HCV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) in 3 United States cities.
  
  
  METHODS
  IDUs aged 18-35 years who were HCV-infected and seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus underwent surveys on behaviors, experience, and interest in treatment for HCV infection and readiness to quit drug use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among treatment-naive IDUs (n=216), 81.5% were interested in treatment for HCV infection, but only 27.3% had seen a health-care provider since receiving a diagnosis of HCV infection. Interest in treatment for HCV infection was greater among IDUs with a high perceived threat of progressive liver disease, those with a usual source of care, those without evidence of alcohol dependence, and those with higher readiness scores for quitting drug use. Interest in treatment for HCV infection was 7-fold higher among IDUs who were told by their health-care provider that they were at risk for cirrhosis or liver cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improving provider-patient communication and integrating treatments for substance abuse and HCV may increase the proportion of IDUs who initiate treatment for HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Division of International Health and Cross-Cultural Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA. sstrathdee@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Latka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: O'Driscoll
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapadia
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pollini
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Garfein
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012737:Sex Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology