Psychosocial Interventions for Problem Alcohol Use in Primary Care Settings (PINTA): Baseline Feasibility Data

Hepatitis C Prevalence and Management Among Patients Receiving Opioid Substitution Treatment in General Practice in Ireland: Baseline Data from a Feasibility Study (Preprint)

“…This shows an increase in the number of patients being tested for anti-HCV antibody compared to data collected in 2003 in a study examining HCV among OST patients in primary care in Ireland (77%) [38] (see Table 5). The percentage of patients testing positive for HCV is higher than previous studies among OST patients in primary care in Ireland [38][39][40] (see Table 5), and higher than among an at risk cohort from the HepCAT study in primary care in the United…”

“…These rates are lower for HIV, but higher for HBV than data reported by Cullen et al in 2007 (HIV 10%; HBV 4%) [38]. The rates for HIV and HBV are higher than a recent study among OST patients in primary care in Ireland by Klimas et al (HIV 5.7%; HBV 2.7%) [40] (see Table 5). Twenty five per cent of patients had been asked about their alcohol use by their GP in the 12-month period prior to the study, 5% had received an alcohol brief intervention and 2% had been referred to a specialist addiction or alcohol treatment service.…”

“…Twenty five per cent of patients had been asked about their alcohol use by their GP in the 12-month period prior to the study, 5% had received an alcohol brief intervention and 2% had been referred to a specialist addiction or alcohol treatment service. While these figures show an improvement in screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for alcohol compared to the baseline data from a recent alcohol intervention study among OST patients in primary care in Ireland [40,43], nonetheless alcohol screening and brief intervention should be systematically performed among this cohort [44].…”

“…In addition, while only data on patients who consented to a researcher having access to their clinical records were collected, consent bias is likely to be minimal, particularly given the high proportion of those asked who provided consent. General Original Articles: Murtagh et al Hepatitis C management among patients receiving opioid substitution treatment in general practice in Ireland Despite these sources of potential bias, the GPs and patients who participated in the study were comparable in their profile to other studies from Ireland [38,46,47].…”

Integrated Hepatitis C Care for People Who Inject Drugs (Heplink): Protocol for a Feasibility Study in Primary Care (Preprint)

“…Practices will be given written information on the study and asked to indicate their interest in participating. Informed by our recent experience recruiting practices [23,24], those practices who express an interest in participating will receive a follow up contact from a member of the research team to explain the aims of the study and the importance of participating in the intervention and facilitating patient recruitment.…”