1043/2009 - Comportamentos e barreiras relacionados à busca ao tratamento para hepatite e dependência química entre usuários de drogas não injetáveis com Hepatite crônica do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Treatment seeking behaviors and major barriers to addiction and hepatitis treatment among non-injection drug users with HBV/HCV from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Publicado
Author:
• Monica Malta - Malta M - Rio de Janeiro, RJ - ENSP - FIOCRUZ - <mmalta@jhsph.edu>Thematic Area:
Não CategorizadoAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Drug users (DU) are a marginalized population, at-risk for viral hepatitis, who seldom access health services.METHODS: Cross-sectional survey with 111 DU with chronic HBV/HCV and 15 in-depth interviews with health professionals/policemakers from Rio, BR.
RESULTS: Most interviewees were male, non-white, with a low educational background, unemployed and/or living with less than $245 a month. In the last 6 months, 61.8% of interviewees snorted cocaine, 64.7% at least once a week. Half interviewees with a stable partner and 38.3% of those with occasional partners never/almost never used condoms. Addiction treatment seeking was found to be associated with: being white (OR:5.5), high-school degree (OR:8.7), and employment (OR:5.7). Hepatitis treatment seeking was high (80.9%), and access to low-threshold, user-friendly health services was key for treatment seeking behaviors (OR:3.6). Missed opportunities for hepatitis treatment seem to be associated with structural (uneven political/financial support to hepatitis programs) and patient-related barriers (severe addiction and non-adherence).
CONCLUSIONS: Those most in need were less likely to access treatment, calling for renewed strategies, in order to curb hepatitis among impoverished drug users and their sexual partners.
Keywords: Hepatitis, drug use, access, adherence, Brazil
