About this trial
The National Australian HCV Point-of-Care Testing Program will establish an observational cohort to evaluate whether scale-up of finger-stick point-of-care HCV testing increases diagnosis and treatment for HCV infection. Participants will be recruited from settings providing services to people with a risk factor for the acquisition of HCV infection (including drug treatment clinics, needle and syringe programs, homelessness settings, mental health services, prisons, and mobile outreach). Participants will attend a single visit to have their HCV RNA status tested and complete a self-administered survey. Participants will not receive treatment as a part of this study. Participants who are HCV RNA positive will be linked to standard of care.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Provided informed consent.
≥ 18 years of age.
Have a risk factor for the acquisition of HCV infection (including current or past injecting drug use, previous incarceration, HIV infection, receiving blood products prior to 1990, having a tattoo or piercing in an unregulated environment, a needle-stick injury, or a mother with HCV).
Are attending a service caring for people with risk factors for the acquisition of HCV infection (e.g. drug treatment clinics, needle and syringe programs, prisons, mobile outreach services, community health services, mental health services, and homelessness services).
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Point-of-Care Testing
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
Kirby Institute
Lead sponsor
Flinders University
Collaborator