This is a copy of the presentation made by Kerryn Butler at the 2014 NDARC Annual Research Symposium.

 

Despite efforts to improve access to antiviral therapy for Hepatitis C (HCV) infection, and hence treatment outcomes, uptake for chronic HCV infection remains low among people who inject drugs (PWID).  The aim of this research is to assist in determining the extent of knowledge PWID have regarding a HCV diagnosis, their knowledge and perceptions about available treatment and what the barriers are to treatment uptake. Data is drawn from the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), a national annual monitoring system whose primary component involves interviewing a sentinel group of PWID in all capital cities/territories of Australia. Approximately 900 people who inject drugs were interviewed in June and July 2013.