Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38287234›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2024

Testing, diagnosis, and treatment following the implementation of a program to provide dried blood spot testing for HIV and hepatitis C infections: the NSW DBS Pilot.

Nigel Carrington, Anna Conway, Jason Grebely, Mitchell Starr, Beth Catlett, Annabelle Stevens, Bianca Prain, Colette McGrath, Louise Causer, Rebecca Guy and 10 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Dried Blood Spots to Assess Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
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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

20 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.

Nigel Carrington *Centre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Anna Conway *The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia. a.conway@unsw.edu.au.
Jason GrebelyThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Mitchell StarrNSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Beth CatlettThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Annabelle StevensCentre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Bianca PrainCentre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Colette McGrathNSW Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network, Sydney, Australia.
Louise CauserThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Rebecca GuyThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Joanne HoldenCentre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Phillip KeenThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Melanie KingslandSchool of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
Heng LuSydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Cherie PowerCentre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Phillip ReadKirketon Road Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
Carolyn MurrayCentre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney, Australia.
Anna McNulty *Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Philip Cunningham *NSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
NSW DBS Pilot Study Group
UNSW Sydney · AUNew South Wales Department of Health · AUSt Vincent's Hospital Sydney · AUSouth Eastern Sydney Local Health District · AUSydney Sexual Health Centre · AUUniversity of Newcastle Australia · AU

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant 1176131
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDried blood spot (DBS) testing provides an alternative to phlebotomy and addresses barriers to accessing healthcare experienced by some key populations. Large-scale evaluations of DBS testing programs are needed to understand their feasibility. This study evaluated the implementation of a state-wide DBS HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing pilot.

methodsThe New South Wales (NSW) DBS Pilot is an interventional cohort study of people testing for HIV antibody and/or HCV RNA from DBS samples in NSW, Australia. Participants at risk of HIV/HCV participated in testing via: 1) self-registration online with a DBS collection kit delivered and returned by conventional postal service; or 2) assisted DBS sample collection at 36 community health sites (including drug treatment and harm-minimisation services) and prisons. Participants received results by text (HIV antibody/ HCV RNA not detected) or a healthcare provider (HIV antibody/ HCV RNA detected). The RE-AIM framework was used to evaluate reach, effectiveness, adoption, and implementation.

resultsReach: Between November 2016 and December 2020, 7,392 individuals were tested for HIV and/or HCV (21% self-registration, 34% assisted in community, and 45% assisted in prison). EFFECTIVENESS: Of 6,922 people tested for HIV (19% men who have sex with men, 13% living outside major cities, 21% born outside Australia), 51% (3,521/6,922) had no HIV test in the past two years, 0.1% (10/6,922) were newly diagnosed with HIV, and 80% (8/10) initiated HIV treatment within six months. Of 5,960 people tested for HCV (24% women, 35% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, 55% recently injected drugs), 15% had detectable HCV RNA (878/5,960), and 45% (393/878) initiated treatment within six months. Adoption: By the end of 2020, DBS via assisted registration was available at 36 community sites and 21 prisons. IMPLEMENTATION: 90% of DBS cards arriving at the laboratory had the three full spots required for testing; the proportion was higher in assisted (94%) compared to online (76%) registration.

conclusionsThis study demonstrated the feasibility of DBS testing for HIV and HCV in key populations including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and demonstrated the utility of DBS in the prison setting.

Indexed as

Hepatitis CHIV-1HIV InfectionsSexual and Gender MinoritiesAustralian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesCohort StudiesDried Blood Spot TestingFemaleHepacivirusHIV AntibodiesHomosexuality, MaleHumansMaleNew South WalesRNA, ViralSensitivity and SpecificityHIV AntibodiesRNA, ViralDried blood spotHepatitis CHIVImplementationModels of careTesting

Identifiers

PMID38287234
PMCPMC10823617
OpenAlexW4391317879

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.