title: Low rates of hepatitis C testing among people who inject drugs in Thailand: implications for peer-based interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) provides an opportunity for HCV prevention and treatment efforts. In Thailand, the barriers and facilitators of HCV testing among people who inject drugs (IDU) are not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data derived from the Mitsampan Community Research Project between July and October 2011, we assessed the prevalence and factors associated with ever having been tested for HCV antibodies using bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 427 participants, 141 (33.0%) reported a history of HCV antibody testing. In multivariate analyses, factors positively associated with receiving an HCV antibody test included higher than secondary education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-3.64], binge drug use (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.12-2.93), methadone treatment enrollment (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.85-6.95) and having received peer-based education on HCV (AOR = 4.22; 95% CI: 2.66-6.77).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found one-third of Thai IDU in our sample reporting a history of HCV testing. The finding that IDU who received peer-based HCV education were more likely to access HCV testing provides evidence for the value of peer-based interventions for this population.
authors: British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ti
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kaplan
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Hayashi
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Suwannawong
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Wood
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kerr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D015995:Prevalence; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Thailand; hepatitis C testing; peer-education intervention; people who inject drugs