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Aim: A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore knowledge of viral hepatitis among attendees of an Australian metropolitan university. Method: A short survey enquiring into viral hepatitis A, B and C (HAV, HBV and HCV, respectively) was administered to a convenience sample of people at a campus in Sydney, Australia during September 2011. Results: A total of 340 participants completed the survey. Among this sample, the risks for transmission of viral hepatitis, particularly HCV, were generally well understood; however, there were substantial gaps in knowledge about the hepatitis vaccines and treatments. Univariate analyzes indicated that participants who reported religion as unimportant to them had better overall knowledge about HBV and HCV than people for whom religion was reportedly important. Similarly, participants without children had better knowledge of HCV than participants who had children. Conclusions: Although the sample was not representative, these findings suggest that among Australians more work is needed to promote knowledge of HAV and HBV vaccines and HBV and HCV treatments. It is prudent to educate young people about the risks for viral hepatitis before they are sexually active, engaging in injecting drug use or planning body modification. (Contains 1 table.)

Expansion of Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs) to non-specialised sites requires an NSP workforce with skills in engaging stakeholders who may have different opinions of NSP. This study examined the strategies used by NSP workers to develop and maintain NSP services and the emotional labour involved in performing this work. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 12 staff of a NSP network in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Participants had undertaken a range of activities to expand NSP sites, often in unwelcoming environments in which NSP was viewed as a “cowboy” service. Participants’ strategies included building positive, ongoing inter-group contact, being visible in external services, and maintaining their professionalism to promote NSP as a legitimate service and themselves as legitimate health workers. Some participants employed strategies which were at odds with their personal and professional values. Participants relied on cohesion within the NSP team to support and encourage each other. Dealing with external services to establish and maintain NSPs was a source of significant emotional labour for NSP workers and was grounded in the stigma attached to injecting drug use. NSP policies and procedures should account for this additional work undertaken by NSP staff and leadership is required to address stigmatisation of NSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Little is known about the factors that influence injecting drug users’ (IDUs) choice of outlet, and in particular why some IDUs might prefer to use pharmacies. Greater understanding of the influences on this choice will contribute to more sophisticated policy and programme responses for blood-borne virus prevention and for health and wellbeing programmes for people who inject drugs. Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 IDUs about their experiences of accessing injecting equipment from pharmacies that participated in the government-sponsored pharmacy needle and syringe scheme. Results: A range of factors influenced participants’ decisions about equipment access. The advantages of the pharmacy scheme access included convenience, relative anonymity, increased positive feelings of self-worth when accessing equipment from pharmacies where they had a good relationship with staff, less police surveillance and access to a greater range of equipment than available in publicly funded Needle and Syringe Programmes. The disadvantages of pharmacy access included the cost of equipment and complications related to methadone dosing and equipment access. Conclusion: Pharmacy access to injecting equipment is highly valued by IDUs. The results of this study direct attention to several elements of programme and policy in the area that would increase access to equipment from pharmacies relating to cost, need for exchange, police surveillance practices, out-of-hours access and anonymity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C-related discrimination is reportedly common, however few studies have investigated this phenomenon. This paper presents findings from a cross-sectional study of people with self-reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection ( N ?=?504) conducted in New South Wales (NSW), Australia throughout 2001 and 2002. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire enquiring into their experience of living with HCV. Over a half of the participants (57.5%, n ?=?290) reported that they had acquired their infection from injecting drug use. Discrimination was reported by 64.7% ( n ?=?326) of participants and healthcare was the most commonly reported site where discrimination occurred. A logistic regression identified the predictors of any discrimination as: knowing many other people with HCV infection; feeling tired due to HCV symptoms; and being younger ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]