Increasing Patients’ Knowledge About HCV May Promote Engagement in HCV Care

Patients with unhealthy substance use may lack knowledge about hepatitis C (HCV) infection and treatment, leading to barriers to care. Researchers administered a comprehensive educational intervention designed to address knowledge gaps regarding HCV to 111 patients receiving treatment with methadone. The intervention was composed of two 30–60-minute sessions. The first focused on HCV transmission, risk factors, and symptoms; the second on diagnostic testing, treatment, and prevention. A 15-item pre- and post-test questionnaire included demographics, information on drug use in the past 6 months, HCV knowledge, and willingness to be treated for HCV. Seven of the 15 items focused on HCV knowledge.

• The mean age of participants was 55 years; 59% were male, 70% African American, and 30% Hispanic. Overall, 59% reported a history of injection drug use, 94% were unemployed, and 57% were receiving disability. Sixty percent of participants were HCV-seropositive; of this group 73% had detectable HCV RNA.
• Patients’ HCV knowledge level (answering ≥ 5 of 7 test questions correctly) was 66% (pre-intervention) versus 84% (post-intervention).
• Male sex and having been screened for HCV before the intervention were associated with higher HCV-related knowledge post-intervention.
• 85% of patients with HCV were willing to receive treatment pre- and post-intervention.

Comments:

HCV-related educational interventions may enhance the willingness of infected patients receiving treatment with methadone to undergo HCV treatment. It is important to note that this study was conducted just as direct acting antivirals (DAA) were being introduced. Future studies should include patients with other substance use disorders—in order to assess knowledge of and attitudes towards HCV on a larger scale during the DAA-era.

Jenna L. Butner, MD† and Jeanette M. Tetrault, MD

Reference:

Zeremski M, Zavala R, Dimova RB, et al. Improvements in HCV-related knowledge among substance users on opioid agonist therapy after an educational intervention. J Addict Med. 2016;(2):102–107.