title: Willingness to Receive Treatment for Hepatitis C among Injecting Drug Users on Methadone Program: Implications for Education and Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common among people who inject drugs (PWID) on methadoneprogram in Iran (Persia). However, a few PWID on methadone program report willingness to receive HCVtreatment. This study aimed to assess the factors which were associated with willingness to receive HCVtreatment in a group of PWID on methadone program in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed 187 PWID at seven drops in centers in Tehran, Iran. Details of demographiccharacteristics, drug use, injection, HCV, and drug treatment history were collected using a 25-itemquestionnaire. Participants were serologically tested for the current status of HCV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found that 28.3% of the participants were HCV seropositive. In total, 49.1% of theparticipants reported unwillingness to receive HCV treatment. Awareness of current HCV status [odds ratio(OR) = 3.43; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-7.26; P < 0.050]; adequate knowledge of HCV treatmentcenters in the community (OR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.24-5.38; P < 0.050); participation in an educational programon HCV (OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 2.33-8.56; P < 0.001) and recent participation in the meetings of self-helpgroups (OR = 4.6; 95% CI: 3.43-9.33; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with current willingness toreceive HCV treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results indicate that awareness of HCV status and the provision of adequate HCVeducation via different information centers can be associated with an increased willingness for HCVtreatment among PWID on methadone program. Conducting more research is suggested to assess theefficacy of educational programs and self-help groups in facilitating HCV treatment among PWID onmethadone program.
authors.affiliation: Senior Researcher, Program of International Research and Training, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alam-Mehrjerdi
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Department of Psychology, School of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.affiliation: Statistician, School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Fenglian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarghami
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Psychology, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salehi-Fadardi
authors.affiliation: Professor, Program of International Research and Training, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dolan
keywords: Drug injection; Harm reduction; Hepatitis C virus; Iran; Persian Gulf