title: Estimating the variability in the risk of infection for hepatitis C in the Glasgow injecting drug user population.
abstract: Glasgow (Scotland's largest city) has a high prevalence of injecting drug use and has one of the highest prevalences of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in injecting drug users (IDUs) in Western Europe. HCV prevalence data from surveys of Glasgow's IDUs from 1990 to 2007 were utilized and a model was applied that described the prevalence of HCV as a function of the rate (force) of infection. Force-of-infection estimates for HCV that may vary over time and injecting career length over a range of variables were investigated. New initiates to injecting were found to be at increased risk of HCV infection, with being recruited from a street location and reporting injecting in prison leading to a significant increase in the risk of infection in new initiates. These results indicate areas of importance for the planning of public health measures that target the IDU population.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Unit, Public Health Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. A.J.Sutton@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Palmateer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult