Hepatitis C
Conditions
Keywords
Hepatitis C, Public Health, Health Service, Prisons
Brief summary
A prospective historically controlled study to assess the effect of an intervention integrating point-of-care hepatitis C (HCV) RNA testing, non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment, fast-tracked direct-acting antiviral (DAA) prescription, and linkage to hepatitis care (a 'one-stop-shop' intervention), on the proportion of participants initiating DAA therapy among people who are recently incarcerated within reception correctional centre(s) in Australia.
Interventions
OTHER'One-stop-shop' hepatitis clinic
Establishment of a 'one-stop-shop' hepatitis clinic, integrating point-of-care HCV RNA testing, followed by clinical assessment, non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment by fibro-elastography (Fibroscan), and early DAA prescription (for those with chronic HCV) followed by linkage to ongoing hepatitis care, all in the same 60-minute visit.
Sponsors
Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network NSW Australia
Kirby Institute
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
This study will be conducted as a prospective historically controlled study with a primary objective of assessing the effect of an intervention integrating point-of-care HCV RNA testing, non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment, fast-tracked DAA therapy, and linkage to hepatitis care (a 'one-stop-shop' intervention) on the proportion of participants initiating DAA therapy among people who are recently incarcerated within reception correctional centre(s) in Australia. All people who are newly incarcerated (in the previous six weeks) will be offered participation. The first 240 individuals will be enrolled into a control period to receive HCV testing and treatment via the standard of care with the current health service model. After the control period, the next 300 individuals will be enrolled in the intervention period to receive HCV testing and treatment via the 'one-stop-shop' intervention.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
1. has provided written, informed consent to participate; 2. is male and ≥18 years of age on enrolment; 3. has been incarcerated within the last six weeks; 4. is HCV DAA treatment naïve; 5. is able and willing to provide informed consent and abide by the requirements of the study. For HCV RNA positive participants commencing treatment: 6. if HIV-1 infected must also meet the following criteria: 1. HIV infection documented by any licensed rapid HIV test or HIV enzyme or chemiluminescence immunoassay (E/CIA) test kit at any time prior to study entry (Baseline) and confirmed by a licensed Western blot or a second antibody test by a method other than the initial rapid HIV and/or E/CIA, or by HIV-1 p24 antigen, or plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load; and 2. be on HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least 4 weeks prior to study entry using an ART regimen that is allowable with the selected DAA regimen as determined by the current PI and the Liverpool drug interaction website (http://www.hiv-druginteractions.org/ )
Exclusion criteria
For HCV RNA positive participants commencing treatment, the subject will be excluded if they have: 1. untreated HIV co-infection; 2. chronic HBV co-infection; 3. any clinically significant condition, history or concomitant medication known to contraindicate DAA therapy or would not be suitable for management within a prison-based treatment setting; 4. is unable to gain an accurate reading on the fibroscan or the result is invalid; 5. known clinical or laboratory evidence of cirrhosis, or cirrhosis documented on fibro-elastography (\> 12.5 Kpa).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The proportion of people who have initiated DAA therapy within 12 weeks from enrolment | 12 weeks from enrolment |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The proportion of participants who complete DAA therapy in prison | End of Treatment (8 weeks from treatment initiation) |
| The proportion of people who have an end of treatment response | End of Treatment (8 weeks from treatment initiation) |
| The proportion of people who have an HCV treatment response (sustained virological response) | Sustained virological response at 12 weeks post treatment completion |
| The time taken from testing to each step in the care cascade | Varying, up to 9 months post-enrolment. |
| The proportion of people tested for HCV infection at 12 weeks from enrolment | 12 weeks from enrolment |
| The acceptability of the 'one-stop-shop' (proportion of prisoners who refuse to participate) | Varying, up to end of subject enrolment (estimated to be 12 months from study commencement) |
| The proportion of people reinfected at SVR12 | Varying, up to 9 months post-enrolment. |
| The proportion of people reporting injecting risk behaviours (at ETR and SVR12) | Varying, up to 9 months post-enrolment. |
| The cost-effectiveness of the 'one-stop-shop' (cost-ratio of 'one-stop-shop' and standard of care) | End of study (estimated to be 12 months from study commencement) |
| The proportion of people lost to follow-up | Varying, up to end of study (estimated to be 12 months from study commencement) |
Countries
Australia
Outcome results
None listed