Brief Educational Intervention Significantly Improves Hepatitis C Knowledge in V

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Brief Educational Intervention Significantly Improves Hepatitis C

Knowledge in Very High Risk Methadone Maintenance Population

By Bruce Sylvester

CHICAGO, IL -- May 17, 2005 -- A brief educational program on

hepatitis C for individuals on methadone maintenance significantly

improves knowledge of the disease, suggesting an effective and cost-

effective method for educating this high-risk population.

Researchers from Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan,,

reported these findings here on May 16th at Digestive Diseases Week

(DDW).

The investigators enrolled 203 subjects, who subsequently attended a

45-minute inservice program and completed an anonymous pre- and

postprogram survey. They used a 17-item survey that included

questions about hepatitis C transmission, candidacy for treatment,

treatment efficacy, and attitudes about the disease.

" Over 30% of the study population had very poor knowledge of the

risk factors for acquiring hepatitis C, and about 35% had not been

tested for the disease or had failed to pick up their test results, "

said presenter and investigator Terri Belville-on, PhD,

clinical psychologist, Henry Ford Health System. " We found that a

brief educational intervention was effective in improving their

knowledge, improving knowledge in all areas of deficiency. "

Subjects were 55% female, 53% African-American, and 65% unemployed.

Mean age was 47.58 years. On average, the subjects had been on

methadone 49 months, with the mean dose of 76 mg.

Coinvestigator and copresenter Anne Eshelmann, PhD, clinical health

psychologist, Henry Ford Health System, said, " This is a population

of people who have a history of IV drug abuse and are now in

methadone maintenance. Sixty to 90% of this population will be

positive for exposure to hepatitis C. So the issue of transmission

through ignorance is also crucial and 1 of the reasons for

developing this intervention. "

Preintervention, 6% of the subjects answered all 9 " knowledge "

questions correctly. Except for needle sharing, risks for

transmission were poorly understood among over 30% of the group.

The researchers reported that, postintervention, knowledge improved

significantly for 7 of 9 knowledge items, including all 5 of

the " critical " items. These items were potential sexual

transmission, potential transmission by snorting of cocaine with

another person, nontransmission by sharing food and silverware,

potential transmission by blood-blood contact, and efficacy of

available treatment for the disease.

" Brief inservices may be a cost-effective method for educating this

high-risk population. Future studies need to look at whether brief

interventions can positively impact infection rates and barriers to

testing and treatment in this high-risk group, " the authors

concluded.

The study was supported by a grant from Roche Pharmaceuticals.

[Presentation title: Hepatitis C Knowledge and Attitudes Among

Methadone Maintenance Patients: a Brief, Educational Inservice Makes

a Positive Difference. Abstract M951]