Barriers to Hepatitis C Treatment and Interest in Telemedicine-Based Care Among Clients of a Syringe Access Program

Background Sharing equipment for injection drug use is the most common mode of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in the United States, yet people who inject drugs (PWID) historically have low rates of HCV treatment. New strategies are needed to expand access to HCV treatment among PWID. Co-locating HCV treatment at syringe access programs (SAPs) reduces barriers to treatment, and telemedicine-based treatment programs could expand access further.Methods To evaluate interest in a co-localized or telemedicine-based program at an SAP in Denver, Colorado, we surveyed 171 SAP clients to understand barriers to HCV treatment and comfort with various appointment modalities.Results Eighty-nine of the surveyed SAP clients (52%), 50 of whom had not completed treatment, reported current or prior HCV infection. The most commonly cited reasons for not seeking HCV treatment were ongoing drug use, logistic barriers, and medical system barriers. Eighty-eight percent of clients with HCV reported that they would be more likely to get treatment if they were able to do so at the SAP, and the rate was higher among people who reported reluctance to seek medical care in general (98% vs 77%, P = .011). In-person appointments were preferred, though 77% of respondents were comfortable with a video appointment. However, only 60% of SAP clients reported having access to a phone, and fewer (48%) had access to video capability.Conclusions These findings suggest that telemedicine-based treatment at an SAP could improve access to HCV treatment, but successful implementation would require attention to barriers impacting clients' ability to participate in telemedicine appointments. Syringe access program (SAP) clients report high rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but limited access to treatment. They reported being more likely to get treated for HCV at the SAP and are comfortable with telemedicine-based appointments.