Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34103080›Full record

ArticleArchives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique2021

New hepatitis C virus infection, re-infection and associated risk behaviour in male Irish prisoners: a cohort study, 2019.

Des Crowley, Gordana Avramovic, Walter Cullen, Collette Farrell, Anne Halpin, Mary Keevans, Eamon Laird, Tina McHugh, Susan McKiernan, Sarah Jayne Miggin and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Des CrowleySchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. doctordes@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8491-9596
Gordana AvramovicSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Walter CullenSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Collette FarrellIrish Prison Service, Dublin, Ireland.
Anne HalpinIrish Prison Service, Dublin, Ireland.
Mary KeevansIrish Prison Service, Dublin, Ireland.
Eamon LairdTrinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Tina McHughDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Susan McKiernanSt. James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Sarah Jayne MigginMater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Ross MurtaghSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Eileen O ConnorMater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Marie O'MearaAbbvie Ltd, Dublin, Ireland.
Deirdre O ReillyIrish Prison Service, Dublin, Ireland.
John S LambertSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
University College Dublin · IEMater Misericordiae University Hospital · IEAbbVie (Ireland) · IESt. James's Hospital · IETrinity College Dublin · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrisoners are recognised as a high-risk population and prisons as high-risk locations for the transmission of hepatitis c virus (HCV) infection. Injecting drug use (IDU) is the main driver of HCV infection in prisoners and harm reduction services are often suboptimal in prison settings. HCV prevalence and incident data in prisoners is incomplete which impacts the public health opportunity that incarceration provides in identifying, treating and preventing HCV infection. The aim of this study is to identify new HCV infection and associated risk factors in an Irish male prison.

methodsWe conducted a follow up (18-month) cohort study on prisoners who had previously tested negative, self-cleared or had been successfully treated for HCV infection. We conducted the study in a male medium security prison located in Dublin Ireland (Mountjoy Prison) using HCV serology, a review of medical records and a researcher-administered questionnaire.

results99 prisoners with a mean age of 33.2 yrs. participated in the study and 82(82.8%) completed a research-administered questionnaire. Over half (51%) had a history of drug use from a young age (14.8 yrs.), 49.9% a history of heroin use and 39% a history of IDU. The prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B virus core antibody was 3% and HCV antibody was 22.2%. No new HCV infections were identified in those who had never been infected (n = 77), had self-cleared (n = 9) or achieved sustained virological response (n = 12). Small numbers of prisoners continued to engage in risk-behaviour including, IDU both in the prison (n = 2) and the community (n = 3), sharing syringes (n = 1) and drug taking paraphernalia (n = 6) and receiving non-sterile tattoos (n = 3).

conclusionDespite the high numbers of Irish prisoners with a history of IDU and HCV infection, new HCV infection is low or non-existent in this population. Small numbers of prisoners continue to engage in risk behaviour and larger studies are required to further understand HCV transmission in this cohort in an Irish and international context.

Indexed as

Harm reductionHCVHepatitis CIncidentMATMedication assisted treatmentPrisonPrisoner

Identifiers

PMID34103080
PMCPMC8186141
OpenAlexW3167592106

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.