Offers of hepatitis C care do not lead to treatment

J Urban Health. 2007 May;84(3):455-8. doi: 10.1007/s11524-007-9180-8.

Abstract

Since 2002, clinicians have been encouraged to offer chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment to patients with injection drug use histories. We conducted 69 baseline and 35 follow-up interviews between September 2002 and November 2004 with HCV patients who were treatment-naïve and receiving regular medical care at an HIV or methadone clinic in New York City at baseline. Of the 31 patients reinterviewed, 20 (65%) were offered treatment but only 2 (7%) were treated. Reasons for failure to be reinterviewed were loss to follow-up at the original site of care (30), death (6), and refusal to be reinterviewed (2). Whereas offers of HCV treatment may be increasing, there is a need to improve continuity of care, patient-provider communication, and patient education regarding HCV treatment options for treatment rates to improve.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Comorbidity
  • Continuity of Patient Care / trends
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / ethnology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / etiology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / therapy*
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Methadone
  • New York City / epidemiology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / statistics & numerical data
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / ethnology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / virology

Substances

  • Methadone