The Netherlands Drug Situation 2010 - Trimbos-instituut

impeding factors in the implementation of the hepatitis C information campaign targetedat drug users is currently being performed. Also a study on the effectiveness of such acampaign is ongoing and results of both projects will be described in the next NationalReport.In the wake of the hepatitis C information campaign, a new guideline will be preparedcovering information, screening and treatment of hepatitis C in penitentiary institutions.The need for this guideline was realized in 2008 because of the, at that time, upcominglaunch of the national information campaign on hepatitis C, the increasing number ofHCV patients imprisoned while in treatment and the aim to guard against interruption ofHCV treatment. The guideline also aims to collect information on organizational, personaland financial consequences of HCV treatment for prisoners. The guideline is currently stillin concept.7.2.5 Other prevention activitiesFor the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS), the prevention and combat of infectiousdiseases among drug users is one of its priorities. Therefore, the Ministry financesthe program Infectious Diseases and Drug Use, a collaborative project of the grassrootsorganization Mainline Foundation and the National Support Function Prevention inMental health and addiction care (Dutch abbreviation: LSP) of the Trimbos Institute. Thefocus of the program is on education and implementation of harm reduction measures.The program is in close contact with the functionaries at the addiction care institutionswhose task is dedicated to infectious diseases. These functionaries, usually nurses, assembleevery two months in a network to exchange information.In 2009, among others, an inventory on depression and depression prevention in hepatitisC positive drug users was made (Dijkstra and Van der Poel, 2009). The inventory concludedthat, while around 1/3 of methadone patients is suffering from depression andlittle is known on the level of depression before, at the time of and after HCV treatment,the prevalence of depression in patients around HCV treatment is not strikingly high. Althoughat the start of the project it was the intention to write a specific and standardiseddepression prevention module for drug users in treatment of HCV, it was concluded thatprofessionals in addiction care do not seem to be in need of such a module.The LSP also published a guidance document on care after HCV treatment (De Jong etal., 2009). It was born out of the observation that during HCV treatment many drug usersexperience a positive behavioural change, which is quickly fading away after theweekly contacts with the HCV-nurse are ended. The guidance document aims to give directionsto perpetuate the positive behavioural changes, which should be continued twoyears after finishing HCV treatment. In 2010, a magazine-like booklet (entitled: A goodstory; in Dutch: Goed Verhaal) was published containing interviews with eight drug userssuccessfully treated for HCV. The booklet aims to encourage HCV positive drug users tostart treatment.Several initiatives of the addiction care organisation Iriszorg (Eastern part of the Netherlands)are worth mentioning:This organisation introduced a disposable “sniffing straw”, for users of cocaine, heroin orspeed. The straw is meant to be used only once and aims to prevent transmission of infectiousdiseases.a weekly consultation hour for drug users on STDs was launched.105