Inadequate hepatitis C virus (HCV) assessment and treatment among people who inject drugs (PWID) is a result of patient, provider and health system level barriers. Low HCV treatment rates continue even though guidelines have been revised to consider HCV treatment among PWID on a case-by-case basis. If accessibility to HCV treatment were increased, especially to PWID this would greatly decrease ...

BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) frequently engage in injection risk behaviours exposing them to blood-borne infections. Understanding the underlying causes that drive various types and levels of risk behaviours is important to better target preventive interventions. METHODS A total of 2150 PWID in Swedish remand prisons were interviewed between 2002 and 2012. Questions on socio-demo...

There is clear evidence that the global HIV epidemic is fuelled by the war on drugs and by the criminalisation of people who inject drugs (PWID) [1]. We also have some evidence that the spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is fuelled in the same way [2], with the resulting stigmatisation and discrimination serving as barriers to HCV care and treatment. Hepatitis C, like HIV, is preventable and tre...

BACKGROUND & AIMS People who inject drugs (PWID) living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection often experience barriers to accessing HCV treatment and care. New, safer and more effective direct-acting antiviral-based therapies offer an opportunity to scale-up HCV-related services. Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) programs have been shown to be effective in linking PWID to health and support...

Despite the fact that HIV epidemic is mainly driven by injection drug use in Iran, partners of People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) have been seriously neglected in terms of effective preventive interventions. Currently, sexual partners of PWID might have access to some harm reduction services at Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centers; however, their needs have not been effectively targeted ...

BACKGROUND While the public health benefits of new HCV treatments depend on treatment adherence, particularly among people who inject drugs (PWID), several social and medical factors can jeopardize treatment adherence. The aim of this study is to examine the qualitative literature on facilitators to HCV treatment adherence among PWID. METHODS We searched six databases to identify qualitative ...