Investigators
- Cheryl Brunton
- Robert Kemp (Drugs Project, Wellington)
- Stephen Lungley (Ministry of Health)
Supported by the Health Research Council
Background
This study involves a cohort of young injecting drug users (IDU) recruited in Wellington and New Plymouth. Participants have been followed over eighteen months to two years and interviewed up to four times. They have also been tested for hepatitis C at intervals. The interviews focus on behavioural, social and environmental risks for transmission of hepatitis C and also gather information about participants' health status, their knowledge of blood borne virus infections and their use of primary care and preventive services. The study aims to measure the incidence of hepatitis C infection in IDU under the age of 25 and to gain a better understanding of the circumstances and experiences of young IDU in order to inform the development of more effective prevention strategies for this group.
Update
[Feb 2006]: Data collection for this project is complete and analysis is underway.
Publications
Brunton C, Kemp R, Raynel P, Harte D, Baker M. Cumulative incidence of hepatitis C seroconversion in a cohort of seronegative injecting drug users. New Zealand Medical Journal 113: 98-101, 2000.
Brunton CR, Kemp RJ, Miller J, Baker MG. Cumulative incidence of hepatitis C seroconversion in a group of previously seronegative injecting drug users. Proceedings of the First Australasian Conference on Hepatitis C, Sydney 16-18 March, 1997.