Substance Use and Hepatitis C

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is most commonly spread by contact with contaminated injection equipment.  Injection drug users (IDUs) have the highest HCV rates.  Studies show 60% of new cases of HCV infection are associated with injection drug use.  Also, long term IDUs account for 70 – 90% of the HCV prevalence rate (Thorpe, 2002).  Drug users can become HCV infected within months following their first contact with contaminated injection equipment.  Fifty to 80% of injection drug users are infected within 6 to 12 months of initial injection (Pratt, 2002).

Alcohol and smoking can greatly damage the health of the liver.  Moderate amounts of alcohol can speed the progression of hepatitis C and lower the effectiveness of treatment (National Institutes of Health, 2006).  Smoking can lead to more HCV-related inflammation (Hepatitis C Support Project, 2006).  Stopping or reducing the use of these drugs can improve the health of the liver.     

For injection drug users, attitudinal and behavioral change can be difficult to achieve.  Many of them report their chief priority as “getting high, staying high, and getting more.”  Drug users may have low self-esteem and feel that “a good future” is not anticipated for them.  They may also lack the skills and resources needed to protect themselves from the immediate and future health issues associated with HCV.  Injection drug users at risk for and infected with HCV need care and support to meet the challenges of HCV infection.  

References
Hepatitis C Support Project. (2006).
National Institutes of Health. (2006). Hepatitis C.
Pratt, Chi-Chi N. Udeagu, Paone, Denise, Carter, Rosalind J., & Layton, Marcelle C. 
(2002). Hepatitis C Screening and Management Practices:  A Survey of Drug Treatment and Syringe Exchange Programs in New York City, American Journal of Public Health, 92(8), 1254-1256.
Thorpe, Lorna E., Ouellet, Lawrence J., Hershow, Ronald, Bailey, Susan L., William, Ian
T., Williamson, John, et al. (2002). Risk of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Young Injection Drug Users Who Share Injection Equipment, American Journal of Epidemiology, 155 (7), 645-653.