Risk behaviors and antibody hepatitis B and C prevalence among injecting drug users in south‐western Sydney, Australia

Maher, Lisa; Chant, Kerry; Jalaludin, Bin; Sargent, Penny

doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2004.03438.x

Cited by 84 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Prevalence estimates from various studies range from 1.8% to 3.0% (Crofts and Aitken 1997, Maher et al 2004, Crofts et al 1994. In one study involving 369 injecting drug users in NSW (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002), ten participants (2.7%) tested HBsAg positive indicating current infection.…”

Section: Injecting Drug Usersmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of Sydney general practitioners' management of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Najjar

Gupta

Pritchard-Jones

et al. 2016

Medical Journal of Australia

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Objective: To examine the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) assessment and management practices of general practitioners in the Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts, areas with a high prevalence of CHB, and to obtain their views on alternative models of care. Design, setting and participants: We used a descriptive, cross‐sectional study design to survey GPs who had seen at least one patient aged 18 years or over who had been notified as having CHB to the Public Health Unit between 1 June 2012 and 31 May 2013. There were 213 eligible GPs; the response rate was 57.7%. Main outcome measures: The CHB assessment, management and referral practices of the GPs, and their opinions about different models of care. Results: Most GPs (78.9%) were at least reasonably confident about managing CHB. GPs were generally most comfortable with a model of care that involved initial referral to a specialist; managing CHB without specialist input or with only review by a specialised nurse practitioner were less popular. Conclusion: These results suggest that barriers, including dependence on specialist input, still hinder the appropriate assessment and management of CHB patients by GPs. Well designed and targeted support programs that include specialist support are needed if there is to be a successful shift to an increased role for GPs in the model of care for managing CHB.

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Section: Injecting Drug Usersmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of Sydney general practitioners' management of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Najjar

Gupta

Pritchard-Jones

et al. 2016

Medical Journal of Australia

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“…4,5 In contrast, hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and incidence in various clinic-and community-based IDU populations throughout Australia, mostly in major cities and regional urban centers, have remained high. [6][7][8][9][10] Routine surveillance data have the potential to increase our understanding of HCV transmission trends and consequently inform an improved public health response in the context of a well-established epidemic. To date, there has been limited published data internationally on trends in HCV infection and related risk factors in IDU populations over significant time periods, with studies examining trends in prevalent HCV infection being limited to IDUs recruited via drug treatment facilities 11 or comparison of different data sources over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis C Virus Acquisition among Injecting Drug Users: A Cohort Analysis of a National Repeated Cross-sectional Survey of Needle and Syringe Program Attendees in Australia, 1995–2004

2008

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High hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence has been documented among many injecting drug user (IDU) populations worldwide; however, there is limited published data on trends in incidence of infection in these epidemics over time. To address this, we used a novel method of analyzing data collected via repeat, cross-sectional sero-surveys by injection initiation cohorts to investigate trends in HCV seropositivity among a population of needle and syringe program (NSP) attendees in Australia between 1995 and 2004, and thereby infer annual incidence trends. Injection initiation cohorts were defined by their time of entry into the IDU population. We also investigated the associations between HCV antibody seroprevalence and risk factor data, and trends in risk factor data over the decade. Approximately 20,000 NSP attendees participated in the study over the 10-year period. Within each injection initiation cohort, we found an increase in HCV prevalence over time, with prevalence appearing to reach saturation around 90%. There was little indication that the slopes of increase had changed with more recent initiation cohorts. While duration of injecting was most strongly associated with HCV seropositivity in this study, we also found that self-reported history of needle and syringe sharing and imprisonment were independently associated with higher HCV prevalence regardless of duration of injecting, with the exception of IDUs who have 15 or more years injecting experience. In this group, recent risk behavior had no relationship to prevalence. In summary, our findings suggest a persistent HCV epidemic despite significant harm reduction efforts in Australia since the mid-1980s, with HIV incidence effectively constant in successive initiation cohorts.

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“…Many prison inmates in Australia are serving sentences for drug-related offenses. Having been in prison is an independent risk factor for hepatitis C infection (Maher, Chant, Jalaludin, & Sargent, 2004). The rate of heroin overdose deaths increased 55 fold between 1964 and 1997 (Hall, Degenhardt, & Lynskey, 1999), while the number of opioid overdose deaths is again on the increase from 360 in 2007 to an estimated 712 people in 2010 (Roxburgh & Burns, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australia's Response to HIV Among People Who Inject Drugs

Madden¹,

Wodak²

2014

AIDS Education and Prevention

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Risk behaviors and antibody hepatitis B and C prevalence among injecting drug users in south‐western Sydney, Australia

Cited by 84 publications

References 22 publications

A survey of Sydney general practitioners' management of patients with chronic hepatitis B

A survey of Sydney general practitioners' management of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Hepatitis C Virus Acquisition among Injecting Drug Users: A Cohort Analysis of a National Repeated Cross-sectional Survey of Needle and Syringe Program Attendees in Australia, 1995–2004

Australia's Response to HIV Among People Who Inject Drugs

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