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- Title
Hepatitis C Screening in Community-Based Voluntary Counselling and Testing Services in Europe: An Observational Study from the COBATEST Network 2014–2018.
- Authors
Conway, Anna; Fernàndez-López, Laura; Reyes-Urueña, Juliana; Casabona, Jordi
- Abstract
The COBATEST Network links community-based voluntary counselling and testing (CBVCT) services in the European region and collects testing data using standardised data collection tools. This study aims to describe the population being screened for anti-HCV antibodies in the COBATEST Network and identify risk factors associated with a reactive HCV screening test result in the period 2014–2018. Clients aged > 16 screened for HCV in the period 2014–2018 at one of the Network's CBVCT services were included in the study. In the 5 year period, 7426 clients were screened for HCV in 22 centres in 10 countries and anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 113 (1.5%). The majority of people screened were aged 25–44, men who have sex with men (MSM), not HIV+ , not reporting a history of injecting drug use or sex work. Detection of anti-HCV antibodies was associated with being HIV + MSM (aOR 9.1, 95% CI 3.8; 21.8 compared to HIV-clients) and being a person who injects drugs (PWID, aOR 28.1, 95% CI 17.6; 45.0, compared to people with no history of injecting drug use). This study demonstrates that HIV-MSM with no history of injection drug use are using CBVCT services for HCV screening, but reactive screening test is associated with being HIV+ or PWID. The integration of HCV screening into the CBVCT service model may widen access to testing for populations that may otherwise not be tested.
- Subjects
EUROPE; HEPATITIS C diagnosis; HEPATITIS C risk factors; COMMUNITY health services; CONFIDENCE intervals; COUNSELING; HEALTH services accessibility; MEDICAL screening; SCIENTIFIC observation; RISK assessment; VIRAL antibodies; MEN who have sex with men; ODDS ratio
- Publication
Journal of Community Health, 2020, Vol 45, Issue 3, p606
- ISSN
0094-5145
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10900-019-00780-0