Prevalence of high-risk drug use and coverage of opioid substitution treatment and needle and syringe programs in Lithuania in 2015–2016: A multi-method estimation study

Abstract Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among people who inject drugs (PWID). Accurate data on HCV prevalence and incidence rates among patients receiving opioid substitution treatment (OST) are needed to estimate the current and future burden of HCV infections in this high-risk population. Methods Baseline data from routine care were collected between October 2014 and June 2016 from randomly selected OST facilities in Germany. The primary outcome measure was the HCV status (antibody and RNA prevalence). Patients who were HCV antibody–negative at baseline were followed up after 12 months to calculate the HCV incidence rate. Results Sixty-three facilities from 14 German Federal States provided clinical data for a total of 2466 OST patients. HCV antibody and HCV RNA prevalence were 58.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56.8%–60.8%) and 27.3% (95% CI, 25.5%–29.2%), respectively. At baseline, a total of 528 patients (21.4%) had previously undergone antiviral treatment. Moreover, lower HCV RNA prevalence was associated with female gender, employment, younger age, and shorter duration of OST and opioid dependence. The HCV incidence rate was 2.5 cases per 100 person-years. Conclusions The low HCV RNA prevalence and HCV incidence rates confirm that OST in Germany is an effective setting both for treating chronic HCV infections and for preventing new infections among PWID. Scaling up the provision of OST, HCV testing, and HCV treatment among OST patients are important public health strategies for reducing HCV infections in this high-risk population.

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Stigma and disaster risk reduction among vulnerable groups: Considering people receiving opioid substitution treatment

10.26686/wgtn.14198582.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Denise Blake ◽

S Pooley ◽

Antonia Lyons

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Emergency Management ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Disaster Risk Reduction ◽

Disaster Risk ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Substitution Treatment ◽

Access To Treatment ◽

Opioid Substitution Treatment ◽

Opioid Substitution

© 2020 This work explores the ways in which stigma influences how people engage with disaster risk reduction. It specifically addresses the experiences and perceptions of stigma for people who receive Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST), a successful harm reduction strategy that reduces illicit drug use, risk of overdose and criminal activity. Unfortunately, while receiving OST people endure stigma because of their perceived or assumed history of drug use, which positions them as socially deviant and unacceptable. During a disaster or emergency, forms of social stigma from health and emergency management personnel have implications for access to treatment such as OST. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 people receiving OST from services in four major cities in Aotearoa New Zealand, an interpretive analysis was applied to better understand how stigma matters to their lived experience. Four key themes, namely “Experiences of stigma”, “Discrimination from health professionals”, and “Disasters and emergency management” and “Support within disaster contexts” were identified in their talk. We conclude that it is vital that medications and other necessary treatments are made accessible to those who need them to maintain health and wellbeing. It is important to be aware that stigmatising beliefs manifest in disaster-response settings which have consequences for people who are already more vulnerable than others. Therefore we suggest that appropriate education and training be provided.

Download Full-text

Stigma and disaster risk reduction among vulnerable groups: Considering people receiving opioid substitution treatment

10.26686/wgtn.14198582 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Denise Blake ◽

S Pooley ◽

Antonia Lyons

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Emergency Management ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Disaster Risk Reduction ◽

Disaster Risk ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Substitution Treatment ◽

Access To Treatment ◽

Opioid Substitution Treatment ◽

Opioid Substitution

© 2020 This work explores the ways in which stigma influences how people engage with disaster risk reduction. It specifically addresses the experiences and perceptions of stigma for people who receive Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST), a successful harm reduction strategy that reduces illicit drug use, risk of overdose and criminal activity. Unfortunately, while receiving OST people endure stigma because of their perceived or assumed history of drug use, which positions them as socially deviant and unacceptable. During a disaster or emergency, forms of social stigma from health and emergency management personnel have implications for access to treatment such as OST. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 people receiving OST from services in four major cities in Aotearoa New Zealand, an interpretive analysis was applied to better understand how stigma matters to their lived experience. Four key themes, namely “Experiences of stigma”, “Discrimination from health professionals”, and “Disasters and emergency management” and “Support within disaster contexts” were identified in their talk. We conclude that it is vital that medications and other necessary treatments are made accessible to those who need them to maintain health and wellbeing. It is important to be aware that stigmatising beliefs manifest in disaster-response settings which have consequences for people who are already more vulnerable than others. Therefore we suggest that appropriate education and training be provided.

Download Full-text