TITLE:
Advancing Service Integration in Opioid Treatment Progams for the Care and Treatment of Hepatitis C Infection
AUTHORS:
Thomas F. Kresina, Robert Lubran, H. Westley Clark, Elinore F. McCance-Katz
KEYWORDS:
Opioid Treatment Programs; Hepatitis C Treatment; Methadone; Buprenorphine
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.5 No.3,
January
28,
2014
ABSTRACT: It is estimated that approximately 200 million
people globally are infected with the hepatitis C virus and that roughly half
of these people live in Asia. Without treatment, it is estimated that roughly
twenty percent of those infected with hepatitis C virus progress to chronic
liver disease, then subsequently, end-stage liver disease. Thus, access to
hepatitis C testing and subsequent care and treatment of chronic hepatitis C
infection are essential to address the global burden of disease. In the United
States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 60% of new
cases of hepatitis infection are due to injection drug use. Opioid Treatment
Programs (OTP’s) dispense methadone and buprenorphine under specific federal
regulations to injection drug users diagnosed with opioid dependence. OTPs are
developing comprehensive care and treatment model programs that integrate
general medical and infectious disease-related medical care with substance
abuse and mental health services. Integrating hepatitis care services and
treatment in the substance abuse treatment settings foster access to care for
patients with hepatitis C infection, many who otherwise would not receive
needed care and treatment. This may serve as a national model for highly
cost-efficient healthcare that has a measurable outcome of improved public
health with reduced hepatitis C prevalence.