9261 HEPATITIS C REPORT GALLEY - North West Public Health ...

3. METHODS
3.1 Subjects
Study participants were recruited and laboratory analyses of samples undertaken
between 1997 and 1999 for the Wirral sample and between 1998 and 1999 for the
Manchester sample. The aims of the study necessitated drawing drug users from a
wide variety of services as well as attracting groups of users not currently in contact
with services. Consequently, subjects were either in contact with treatment agencies in
Drugs North West and Wirral Drugs Service or not in contact with any drugs services.
There were 110 people recruited through community drug teams, 112 from syringe
exchange schemes and 23 through outreach. Forty five people were recruited on their
first ever visit to a drugs agency, and 60, who were not in contact with treatment
agencies, were recruited via a snowballing technique through the existing service
users. Forty eight people presented at Wirral Drugs service specifically to request either
an HIV, hepatitis B or C test and were invited to join the study (referred to as 'self
presenters'). Nine further drug users were recruited through other sources (for
example, some were resident in an in-patient facility).
3.2 Questionnaire
Subjects completed a questionnaire ascertaining drug taking, sharing of needles and
other equipment, previous hepatitis B and C test history and sexual behaviour. Drug
taking history elicited information on whether the subject had ever used or injected
each of 14 named drugs, and whether they had used or injected these same drugs in
the previous four weeks. Participants were also given the opportunity to identify any
drug other than those on the list that they had used or injected. Sharing questions
identified whether the subject had ever, or in the previous four weeks, shared needles,
spoons, syringes, filters or other injecting equipment (such as water used in the
preparation of drugs). The age of first use of drugs, the age of first injecting behaviour
and the size of the group of fellow users on the previous occasion that the subject had
injected was determined. Subjects were also asked if they had ever been to prison, and
if so, on how many occasions. Sexual behaviour questions determined how many male
and female partners the subjects had ever had, and had in the previous four weeks,
and what their usual method of contraception had been. Questions on previous test
history asked whether subjects had ever taken tests for hepatitis C or hepatitis B, and
if so, what their results had been.
Questionnaires were self-administered, but a drug worker was present if any clarification
of questions was needed. Participants had a choice of named or anonymous participation.
Those who were named were notified of their test result and consequently formed part of
a cohort for follow up (see Aim 6). Two hundred and fifty nine (64%) volunteered to be
part of the follow up group and therefore provided identifying details.
H EPATITIS C IN INJECTING DRUG USERS IN THE N ORTH W EST
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