system
Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Adult, Aged, Cohort Studies, Female, Hepatitis C, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Opiate Substitution Treatment, Retrospective Studies, Substance Abuse, Intravenous, Young Adult.
user
Is opioid substitution therapy associated with increased detection of hepatitis C virus infection : a 15-year observational cohort study? Context: Strategies are needed to enhance screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs to improve engagement in HCV treatment, and stem the growing burden of HCV-related morbidity and mortality. We linked routinely collected data on enrolment in opioid substitution therapy (OST) and HCV notifications. We calculated rates of incident HCV notifications, and compared rates in and out of OST. Following adjustment for sex, age and calendar period, rates of incident HCV notification were significantly higher during periods of OST, compared to periods out of OST (adjusted incident rate ratio: 1.91; 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.97). This effect was seen across multiple treatment periods.
assistant
HCV screening in OST settings increases detection of HCV infection among people who inject drugs. Final Decision: yes