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Mixed-methods evaluation of point-of-care hepatitis C virus RNA testing in a Scottish prison
Christopher J Byrne1,2, Amy Malaguti3,4, Sarah Karen Inglis5
1Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK c.x.byrne@dundee.ac.uk.
Objectives:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a global public health threat. Prisons are a focus of prevention efforts due to high infection burdens. Expedition of treatment for incarcerated people is critical, as many are short-term sentenced. We evaluated point-of-care (PoC) HCV RNA testing in a maximum-security Scottish prison and assessed its impact on transition to treatment. We also evaluated costs and determinants of implementation.
Design:
Mixed-methods evaluation of a single-centre care pathway pilot using National Health Service (NHS) data from 2018 to 2021. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis were undertaken. Cost analysis was assessed from a provider perspective. Healthcare staff participated in semistructured interviews and thematic analysis with a deductive approach was undertaken to identify implementation determinants.
Setting:
A large maximum-security Scottish prison health centre administered by the NHS.
Participants:
296 incarcerated NHS patients (all men) and six NHS staff members (two men and four women).
Interventions:
HCV testing using the Cepheid GeneXpert platform with Xpert HCV VL Fingerstick assay.
Outcome Measures:
The main outcome was survival (in days) from HCV test to treatment initiation. Secondary outcomes were cost-per-cure obtained and implementation determinants.
Results:
During the pilot, 167 Xpert tests were administered, with an 84% completion rate, and treatment transition was superior for those who received it (p=0.014). Where PoC tests were administered, shorter survival to treatment was observed (19 vs 33 days: adjusted HR (aHR) 1.91 (1.03-3.55), p=0.040; 19 vs 50 days; aHR 3.76 (1.67-8.46), p=0.001). PoC was costlier than conventional testing. In qualitative analysis, most facilitators were observed among characteristics of individual domain while most barriers were noted in the inner setting.
Conclusions:
Integrating PoC HCV RNA diagnosis into nurse-led HCV care in a maximum-security prison health centre shortens survival to HCV treatment. However, there are cost implications to this approach and multiple determinants that impact on implementation should be addressed.
