Disparities in risk perception and low harm reduction services awareness, access, and utilization among young people with newly reported hepatitis C infections in California, 2018.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Newly reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in California increased 50% among people 15-29 years of age between 2014 and 2016. National estimates suggest this increase was due to the opioid epidemic and associated increases in injection drug use. However, most of California's 61 local health jurisdictions (LHJs) do not routinely investigate newly reported HCV infections, so these individuals' risk factors for infection are not well understood. We sought to describe the demographics, risk behaviors, and utilization of harm reduction services in California's fastest-rising age group of people with newly reported hepatitis C infections to support targeted HCV prevention and treatment strategies.

Methods

California Department of Public Health invited LHJs to par

SUBMITTER: Ohringer AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8296725 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature