The following is a summary of “Supporting direct acting antiviral medication adherence and treatment completion in a sample of predominantly rural veterans with hepatitis C and substance use disorders,” published in the June 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Burton et al.
Rural Veterans of rural areas with substance use disorders (SUD) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection need accessible clinical interventions to improve cure rates from new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study assessing the effectiveness of clinic-based interventions in promoting successful DAA treatment for HCV infection among veterans in rural areas with SUDs.
They utilized motivational interviewing (MI) to enhance medication adherence and treatment completion for a 12-week DAA regimen among veterans with chronic HCV and SUDs. Veterans participated in an MI session with a licensed psychologist at the study’s outset and follow-up visit every 2 weeks during the DAA treatment course. To encourage participation, patients received $25 for each completed study visit, and after 12 weeks of treatment cessation, a laboratory visit was scheduled to assess for sustained virologic response (SVR).
The result showed that of the 20 enrolled participants, only 15 (75%) adhered to the full 12-week treatment plan. On average, medication adherence based on pill counts reached 92% (SD of 3%). The most significant finding was the achievement of SVR in 95% of participants (19 out of 20), indicating successful elimination of the HCV.
Investigators concluded that clinic-based intervention with frequent MI visits was practical and well-received by veterans with chronic HCV and SUDs.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13722-024-00480-8
