Combined COVID-19 vaccination and hepatitis C virus screening intervention in marginalised populations in Spain

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Vaccinology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic disrupted essential health services like hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV screening.
• Marginalized populations face disproportionately high rates of HCV and HIV, alongside lower COVID-19 vaccination uptake.
• There is a need to integrate services to reach these vulnerable groups effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptability of combining HCV testing with COVID-19 vaccination.
• To evaluate the feasibility of this integrated approach in addiction services and mobile units.
• To identify opportunities for improved screening and treatment initiation in marginalized communities.

Main Methods:

• 187 adults from marginalized populations were offered HCV antibody testing and COVID-19 vaccination between September 2021 and June 2022.
• HCV-RNA testing was performed for HCV antibody-positive individuals; HIV screening was conducted in the mobile unit.
• Positive cases were offered appropriate treatment, and data were analyzed descriptively.

Main Results:

• In Barcelona, 62.8% of participants accepted HCV testing; none were HCV-RNA positive. All received COVID-19 vaccines.
• In Madrid, 100% of participants accepted HCV and HIV testing; 14.9% were HCV antibody-positive (60% HCV-RNA positive), and 8.9% were HIV-positive.
• Treatment was initiated for 88.9% of HCV-RNA positive and 60% of HIV-positive individuals who had stopped antiretroviral therapy.

Conclusions:

• The combined HCV testing and COVID-19 vaccination intervention was highly acceptable among marginalized populations in both settings.
• This integrated model demonstrates potential for effective service delivery in community-based and mobile outreach settings.
• Integrating infectious disease screening with vaccination campaigns can improve health outcomes for underserved groups.