Hepatitis C awareness and risky injection behaviors among injection drug users in treatment.

Injection drug use (IDU) remains an important means of hepatitis C transmission. The aim of this study, which analyzed data from patients enrolling in protocol CTN-0032, was to estimate the effect of awareness of hepatitis C diagnosis on risky injection behaviors among drug treatment clients. Of 1281 participants, 49% reported injecting drugs in the past 6 months (current) or previously but not in the last 6 months (former). Among 264 current IDUs, 35% reported they were positive for HCV and 39% had shared needles/works with another injector in the past 6 months. Those who shared needles were also more likely to have sex with a condom in the past 6 months (77% vs. 59%). In multivariable analysis, awareness of positive hepatitis C status vs. negative or unknown status was associated with increased odds of sharing needles or works after adjusted for age, gender, race, education, source of needles, and substance use. Awareness of hepatitis C positivity was associated with increased risky injection behaviors among injection drug users presenting for substance abuse treatment.

Hepatitis C screening in treatment programs may identify clients in need of targeted harm reduction interventions.

Related protocols: CTN-0032