“…Studies frequently report associations between HCV infection and injection duration, injection frequency, cocaine injection, and sharing of syringes and other injection paraphernalia among persons who inject drugs (PWID; Boodram et al, 2010; Falster et al, 2009; Garfein et al, 1996; Hagan et al, 2001; Pouget et al, 2012; Thorpe et al, 2000). Recent trends show that although both HIV (Broz et al, 2014; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009) and HCV (Amon et al, 2008) prevalence have steadily declined among older PWID, high-incidence of HCV infection (Page et al, 2009; Zibbell et al, 2015) and HCV outbreaks among younger PWID (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011; Leuchner et al, 2008) are occurring. In addition, IDU has been steadily increasing among youths (Chatterjee et al, 2011; Tempalski et al, 2013), and high levels of risky injection and sex behaviors continue to be reported in this group (Broz et al, 2014; Hahn et al, 2010; Rondinelli et al, 2009).…”