Drug treatment programs' HCV service delivery to their HCV positive clients

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common blood-borne infectious disease among drug users in the US. Drug treatment programs are ideally situated to assist their clients to obtain HCV medical and support services. Using data collected from 233 drug free and methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTPs) throughout the US, this article examines the range of HCV services that treatment programs provide to their HCV positive clients. Findings indicate that MMTPs offer more comprehensive HCV services to more of their HCV positive clients than drug free programs, although drug free programs provide more individualized services. While 84% of the programs provided some HCV services, there are still serious gaps in the provision of these services (e.g., dealing with medical providers to obtain HCV medication and facilitating access to liver transplant lists). Drug treatment programs need increased funding and staff training to be able to provide comprehensive HCV services to their HCV positive clients.

• Drug treatment programs
• Hepatitis C
• HCV service delivery
• methadone maintenance programs
• injection drug users
• telephone survey