title: Opioid substitution therapy is associated with increased detection of hepatitis C virus infection: a 15-year observational cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strategies are needed to enhance screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs to improve engagement in HCV treatment, and stem the growing burden of HCV-related morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We linked routinely collected data on enrolment in opioid substitution therapy (OST) and HCV notifications. We calculated rates of incident HCV notifications, and compared rates in and out of OST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following adjustment for sex, age and calendar period, rates of incident HCV notification were significantly higher during periods of OST, compared to periods out of OST (adjusted incident rate ratio: 1.91; 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.97). This effect was seen across multiple treatment periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV screening in OST settings increases detection of HCV infection among people who inject drugs.
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia; Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence 02903, USA. Electronic address: s.larney@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Larney
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grebely
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research, University of Western Sydney, Sydney 2560, Australia; Adult Cancer Program, Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falster
authors.affiliation: Adult Cancer Program, Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Janaki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne 3052, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Degenhardt
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucinda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Adult Cancer Program, Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vajdic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000639:trends*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hepatitis C virus; Notification; Opioid substitution therapy; People who inject drugs; Screening