Acceptance and feasibility of a low-threshold and substitution services-based periodical monitoring system for blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among people who inject drugs in Germany: a mixed-methods analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To reach the global elimination goals of viral hepatitis B and C (HBC, HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections as a public health threat by 2030, monitoring is needed. Staff members of drug services and opioid substitution treatment (OST) practices in Berlin and Bavaria recruited clients for a pilot study addressing the respective infections among people who injected drugs (PWID) in Germany, 2021/2022. Participants filled a questionnaire and were tested for HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis using dried blood spots (DBS). We evaluated the study design to implement a feasible and accepted nationwide periodical monitoring among PWID and serve as an example for the implementation of similar monitoring systems in other countries.

Methods

SUBMITTER: Krings A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10938743 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature