2021 |
D Ortiz-Paredes; A, Amoako; Lessard; Engler; Lebouché; Klein; D K B M Canadian Liver Journal, 2021. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Étiquettes: Direct-acting antivirals, hepatitis C, HIV infection, Indigenous peoples, men who have sex with men, People who inject drugs, Treatment uptake, Women @article{D2021, title = {Potential interventions to support HCV treatment uptake among HIV co-infected people in Canada: Perceptions of patients and health care providers}, author = {D, Ortiz-Paredes; A, Amoako; D, Lessard; K, Engler; B, Lebouché; M, Klein; }, url = {https://canlivj.utpjournals.press/doi/full/10.3138/canlivj-2021-0021}, doi = {10.3138/canlivj-2021-0021}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-11-05}, journal = {Canadian Liver Journal}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Increasing direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment uptake is key to eliminating HCV infection as a public health threat in Canada. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection face barriers to HCV treatment initiation. We sought to identify interventions that could support HCV treatment initiation based on patient and HCV care provider perspectives. METHODS: Eleven people living with HIV with a history of HCV infection and 12 HCV care providers were recruited for this qualitative descriptive study. Participants created ranked-ordered lists of potential interventions during nominal groups (n = 4) and individual interviews (n = 6). Following the nominal group technique, transcripts and intervention lists underwent thematic analysis and ranking scores were merged to create consolidated and prioritized lists from patient and provider perspectives. RESULTS: Patient participants identified a total of eight interventions. The highest-ranked interventions were multidisciplinary clinics, HCV awareness campaigns and patient education, nurse- or pharmacist-led care, peer involvement, and more and better-prepared health professionals. Provider participants identified 11 interventions. The highest-ranked were mobile outreach, DAA initiation at pharmacies, a simplified process of DAA prescription, integration of primary and specialist care, and patient-centred approaches. CONCLUSION: Participants proposed alternatives to hospital-based specialist HCV care, which require increasing capacity for nurses, pharmacists, primary care providers, and peers to have more direct roles in HCV treatment provision. They also identified the need for structural changes and educational initiatives. In addition to optimizing HCV care, these interventions might result in broader benefits for the health of HIV–HCV co-infected people.}, keywords = {Direct-acting antivirals, hepatitis C, HIV infection, Indigenous peoples, men who have sex with men, People who inject drugs, Treatment uptake, Women}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } BACKGROUND: Increasing direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment uptake is key to eliminating HCV infection as a public health threat in Canada. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection face barriers to HCV treatment initiation. We sought to identify interventions that could support HCV treatment initiation based on patient and HCV care provider perspectives. METHODS: Eleven people living with HIV with a history of HCV infection and 12 HCV care providers were recruited for this qualitative descriptive study. Participants created ranked-ordered lists of potential interventions during nominal groups (n = 4) and individual interviews (n = 6). Following the nominal group technique, transcripts and intervention lists underwent thematic analysis and ranking scores were merged to create consolidated and prioritized lists from patient and provider perspectives. RESULTS: Patient participants identified a total of eight interventions. The highest-ranked interventions were multidisciplinary clinics, HCV awareness campaigns and patient education, nurse- or pharmacist-led care, peer involvement, and more and better-prepared health professionals. Provider participants identified 11 interventions. The highest-ranked were mobile outreach, DAA initiation at pharmacies, a simplified process of DAA prescription, integration of primary and specialist care, and patient-centred approaches. CONCLUSION: Participants proposed alternatives to hospital-based specialist HCV care, which require increasing capacity for nurses, pharmacists, primary care providers, and peers to have more direct roles in HCV treatment provision. They also identified the need for structural changes and educational initiatives. In addition to optimizing HCV care, these interventions might result in broader benefits for the health of HIV–HCV co-infected people. |
2019 |
R, Nitulescu; J, Young; S, Saeed; C, Cooper; J, Cox; V, Martel-Laferriere; M, Hull; S, Walmsley; MW, Tyndall; A, Wong; MB, Klein Variation in hepatitis C virus treatment uptake between Canadian centres in the era of direct-acting antivirals Journal Article The International Journal on Drug Policy, 2019. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Étiquettes: Direct acting antivirals (DAAs), Disparities, HIV-HCV co-infection, Treatment barriers, Treatment uptake @article{R2019, title = {Variation in hepatitis C virus treatment uptake between Canadian centres in the era of direct-acting antivirals}, author = {Nitulescu R and Young J and Saeed S and Cooper C and Cox J and Martel-Laferriere V and Hull M and Walmsley S and Tyndall MW and Wong A and Klein MB}, url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30594080/}, doi = {10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.08.012}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-03-01}, journal = {The International Journal on Drug Policy}, abstract = {Background: Patients co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are a priority target for HCV treatment. The simplicity and efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) should help overcome patient, provider, and structural barriers to scaling up treatment. Methods: We estimated between-centre variation in DAA treatment uptake among 1734 patients enrolled at the 18 centres of the Canadian Co-Infection Cohort-a prospective cohort of adults co-infected with HIV and HCV. We then compared this variation to that observed during the interferon era. Time to treatment uptake was modeled using a Weibull time-to-event model adjusting for centre and patient characteristics thought to have an impact on treatment initiation in the DAA era. Results: At the time of administrative censoring (December 31, 2016), 981 cohort participants were eligible for second-generation DAA therapy (HCV RNA positive after November 21, 2013) of whom 278 initiated DAAs (16 patients per 100 person-years). Patients with low monthly income, Indigenous ethnicity, recent injection drug use, HCV genotype 3, or unknown HCV genotype were less likely to start treatment. After adjusting for patient characteristics, the estimated between-centre variance (σ2) was 0.29 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.09-0.89), considerably lower than during the interferon era (σ2 = 0.87, 95% CrI: 0.49-1.5). This between-centre variance was further reduced by the addition of centre-level effects for jurisdiction (σ2 = 0.15, 95% CrI: 0.02-0.60). Conclusion: Much of the variation in treatment uptake between centres can now be attributed to regional differences. This suggests that after the introduction of DAAs, treatment barriers have shifted towards prescribing and reimbursement restrictions based on liver fibrosis, which vary by jurisdiction. The removal of these restrictions, however, will need to be paired with strategies to overcome patient-level barriers, which continue to prevent marginalized people and active substance users from accessing treatment.}, keywords = {Direct acting antivirals (DAAs), Disparities, HIV-HCV co-infection, Treatment barriers, Treatment uptake}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Background: Patients co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are a priority target for HCV treatment. The simplicity and efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) should help overcome patient, provider, and structural barriers to scaling up treatment. Methods: We estimated between-centre variation in DAA treatment uptake among 1734 patients enrolled at the 18 centres of the Canadian Co-Infection Cohort-a prospective cohort of adults co-infected with HIV and HCV. We then compared this variation to that observed during the interferon era. Time to treatment uptake was modeled using a Weibull time-to-event model adjusting for centre and patient characteristics thought to have an impact on treatment initiation in the DAA era. Results: At the time of administrative censoring (December 31, 2016), 981 cohort participants were eligible for second-generation DAA therapy (HCV RNA positive after November 21, 2013) of whom 278 initiated DAAs (16 patients per 100 person-years). Patients with low monthly income, Indigenous ethnicity, recent injection drug use, HCV genotype 3, or unknown HCV genotype were less likely to start treatment. After adjusting for patient characteristics, the estimated between-centre variance (σ2) was 0.29 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.09-0.89), considerably lower than during the interferon era (σ2 = 0.87, 95% CrI: 0.49-1.5). This between-centre variance was further reduced by the addition of centre-level effects for jurisdiction (σ2 = 0.15, 95% CrI: 0.02-0.60). Conclusion: Much of the variation in treatment uptake between centres can now be attributed to regional differences. This suggests that after the introduction of DAAs, treatment barriers have shifted towards prescribing and reimbursement restrictions based on liver fibrosis, which vary by jurisdiction. The removal of these restrictions, however, will need to be paired with strategies to overcome patient-level barriers, which continue to prevent marginalized people and active substance users from accessing treatment. |