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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2019, 21, N2 (pages: 33 - 40)

Hepatitis C Screening in Inpatient Addiction Treatment Settings in Istanbul Turkey: Implications for Integrating Treatment Services

Alaei A., Mishkin K., Alaei K., Bilici R., Altintas M., and Altice F.

Summary: Background: While drug use is increasing in Turkey, little research had documented Hepatitis C (HCV) infections among drug users. Because the country has low HCV screening practices, we conducted a HCV screening assessment of all patients entering a large governmental addiction treatment hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Aim: This paper presents results from HCV screening of people seeking drug treatment in Turkey, including analysis of factors associated with HCV infection. Methods: Data were collected from 936 patients who received a HCV test while seeking drug treatment at Erenköy Mental Health and Neurology Training and Research Hospital from January 1, 2014 to December 30, 2015. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models iden-tified variables significantly associated with HCV status. Results: Of the sample, 14% were HCV-positive. HCV was highly prevalent among injection drug users (IDU) (38%) and heroin IDU (98.3%). In addition to IDU and heroin use, HCV status was associated with sex (p=0.03), age (p<0.0001), living location (p=0.006), prior treatment (p<0.0001), drug use method (p<0.0001), and Hepatitis B status (p=0.0002). The number needed to screen for HCV was highest among non-heroin users. Conclusions: HCV is highly prevalent among injection drug users who use heroin in Turkey. Pub-lic health interventions focused on incorporation of HCV screening into drug rehabilitation clinics in Turkey should target heroin injection drug users.