Woodford

This observational study aims to examine whether offering a rapid finger-stick screening test for Hepatitis C virus HCV exposure before conducting a diagnostic test can improve testing, diagnosis, and treatment rates among adults at risk of HCV infection. Participants will be recruited from settings where people with risk factors for HCV acquisition receive services. The main focus is to determine what proportion of those diagnosed with HCV start treatment within 12 weeks after diagnosis. Participants will have one in-person visit where they provide informed consent and undergo a finger-prick rapid test for HCV antibodies. Those without a previous HCV infection history will receive this screening test, and participants with a positive result or prior infection history will then have a diagnostic HCV RNA test during the same visit. No treatment is provided within the study individuals diagnosed with HCV will be referred to standard care clinics for further assessment and treatment initiation. Participant involvement includes the single study visit for testing and consent, followed by a review of medical records 12 weeks later to evaluate treatment initiation. Additional secondary outcomes, such as acceptance rates of point-of-care testing, prevalence of infection, treatment completion, and sustained virological response, will be monitored up to 52 weeks. The study also assesses the cost-effectiveness of different testing approaches and includes long-term data collection through record review, with total participation spanning at least one year after enrollment.

Researchers are evaluating the use of finger-stick point-of-care testing for hepatitis C virus HCV infection in people at risk of acquiring HCV. The study aims to see if scaling up this testing approach increases diagnosis and treatment rates. The research addresses challenges in current testing pathways that require multiple visits, which reduce the number of people who receive a diagnosis and treatment. It is an observational study led by the Kirby Institute, focusing on improving HCV elimination efforts in Australia by 2030. Participants will be recruited from various settings serving people at risk, such as drug treatment clinics, needle and syringe programs, homelessness services, mental health services, prisons, and mobile outreach. Clinic staff will offer point-of-care HCV RNA testing using finger-stick samples during routine service access. There is no treatment provided as part of this study, but participants who test positive for HCV RNA will be connected to standard care for further evaluation and treatment. Throughout the study, participants who undergo point-of-care testing will be included in data collection. Researchers will monitor the proportion of HCV-infected participants who start treatment within 12 weeks of enrollment, the acceptance rate of testing, prevalence of infection, timing and completion of treatment, and viral response over a year. The study involves ongoing observation linked to routine care, with no intervention beyond testing. Total participation duration varies as the study is observational and ongoing.