title: Portraying persons who inject drugs recently infected with hepatitis C accessing antiviral treatment: a cluster analysis.
abstract: Objectives. To empirically determine a categorization of people who inject drug (PWIDs) recently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), in order to identify profiles most likely associated with early HCV treatment uptake. Methods. The study population was composed of HIV-negative PWIDs with a documented recent HCV infection. Eligibility criteria included being 18 years old or over, and having injected drugs in the previous 6 months preceding the estimated date of HCV exposure. Participant classification was carried out using a TwoStep cluster analysis. Results. From September 2007 to December 2011, 76 participants were included in the study. 60 participants were eligible for HCV treatment. Twenty-one participants initiated HCV treatment. The cluster analysis yielded 4 classes: class 1: Lukewarm health seekers dismissing HCV treatment offer; class 2: multisubstance users willing to shake off the hell; class 3: PWIDs unlinked to health service use; class 4: health seeker PWIDs willing to reverse the fate. Conclusion. Profiles generated by our analysis suggest that prior health care utilization, a key element for treatment uptake, differs between older and younger PWIDs. Such profiles could inform the development of targeted strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce HCV infection among PWIDs.
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9 ; Département de Médecine Familiale, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Bureau S-711, 2900 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, Canada H3T 1J4.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bamvita
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Campus Longueuil 1111, Rue St-Charles Ouest, Bureau 500, Longueuil, QC, Canada J4K 5G4.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9.
authors.forename: Geng
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5676-9634
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9 ; Département de Médecine Familiale, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Bureau S-711, 2900 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, Canada H3T 1J4.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8474-508X
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jutras-Aswad
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9 ; Family Medicine Department, McGill University, 5858 Chemin de la Côte des Neiges, 3e Étage, Montréal, QC, Canada H3S 1Z1.
authors.forename: Andreea Adelina
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3085-2410
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Artenie
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9 ; Family Medicine Department, McGill University, 5858 Chemin de la Côte des Neiges, 3e Étage, Montréal, QC, Canada H3S 1Z1.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levesque
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Tour Saint-Antoine 850, Rue St-Denis, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9 ; Département de Médecine Familiale, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Bureau S-711, 2900 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, Canada H3T 1J4.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruneau