Impact of integrated treatment of hepatitis C on happiness among people who inject drugs: results from the INTRO-HCV.

Abstract

PWID are at high risk of being unhappy. However, to which degree happiness in patients with SUD is linked to infection with HCV and its treatment is unknown. The present study investigated the effect of integrated compared to standard HCV treatment on happiness in this population. This multi-center, randomized controlled trial evaluated happiness as a secondary outcome of integrated HCV treatment. From May 2017 to June 2019, 276 participants in Bergen and Stavanger, Norway, were randomly assigned to receive integrated and standard HCV treatment. Integrated treatment was delivered in eight decentralized outpatient OAT clinics and two community care centers while standard treatment was delivered in outpatient clinics at referral hospitals, with 21% absolute difference in SVR. The level of happiness was assessed with an eleven-point Likert scale and presented as percentage (from 0% “completely unhappy” to 100% “completely happy”). We applied a LMM to evaluate the impact of integrated HCV treatment on changes in happiness scores. At baseline, the mean happiness score for participants receiving integrated treatment was 49% (SD 26) and 52% (SD 25) for those on standard treatment. Twelve weeks after completed HCV treatment, the mean happiness score for participants receiving integrated treatment was 51% (SD 20) and 52% (SD 23) for those receiving standard treatment. Compared to the standard HCV treatment, the happiness score tends to increase from baseline to end of treatment in the integrated HCV treatment groups, but not significantly. Further research is needed to improve the subjective experience in happiness in this population. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov.no NCT03155906, 16/05/2017.