Abstract
Objective: Comparison of uptake of dried blood spot testing (DBST) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection between community pharmacies and established services.
Design: Quantitative evaluation of a service development with qualitative process evaluation undertaken in parallel.
Setting: Six pharmacies from 36 community pharmacies within Dundee City, a large urban settlement with high levels of socioeconomic deprivation.
Participants: Patients in receipt of opioid substitution therapy (OST) not tested for HCV within 12 months. The 6 pharmacies provided OST for approximately 363 patients from a cohort of 1385 patients within Dundee City.
Intervention: Provision of DBST by pharmacists.
Main outcome measure: Receipt of DBST between January and December 2014.
Results: 43 of 143 service users with no record of testing from the 6 community pharmacies accepted DBST. Of 561 from the remaining 1022 service users with no record of testing, 75 were tested for HCV (30% vs 13%). The OR for increased uptake of testing within the 6 pharmacies was 2.25 (95% CI 1.48 to 3.41, Z statistic=3.81, p=<0.0001) compared with other services. The DBST taken by the pharmacies provided 12 patients with a reactive test. The process evaluation identified key themes important to staff and recipients of the service. A logic model was constructed.
Limitations: Non-experimental service evaluation performed in community pharmacies records service activity in one location across a single time period.
Interpretation: Some evidence that DBST from community pharmacies may be feasible. Service users received the service positively. Staff reported that DBST was straightforward and achievable.
Design: Quantitative evaluation of a service development with qualitative process evaluation undertaken in parallel.
Setting: Six pharmacies from 36 community pharmacies within Dundee City, a large urban settlement with high levels of socioeconomic deprivation.
Participants: Patients in receipt of opioid substitution therapy (OST) not tested for HCV within 12 months. The 6 pharmacies provided OST for approximately 363 patients from a cohort of 1385 patients within Dundee City.
Intervention: Provision of DBST by pharmacists.
Main outcome measure: Receipt of DBST between January and December 2014.
Results: 43 of 143 service users with no record of testing from the 6 community pharmacies accepted DBST. Of 561 from the remaining 1022 service users with no record of testing, 75 were tested for HCV (30% vs 13%). The OR for increased uptake of testing within the 6 pharmacies was 2.25 (95% CI 1.48 to 3.41, Z statistic=3.81, p=<0.0001) compared with other services. The DBST taken by the pharmacies provided 12 patients with a reactive test. The process evaluation identified key themes important to staff and recipients of the service. A logic model was constructed.
Limitations: Non-experimental service evaluation performed in community pharmacies records service activity in one location across a single time period.
Interpretation: Some evidence that DBST from community pharmacies may be feasible. Service users received the service positively. Staff reported that DBST was straightforward and achievable.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 221-228 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Frontline Gastroenterology |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 6 Jan 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2017 |
Keywords
- Antiviral Therapy
- Hepatitis C
- Primary Care
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gastroenterology
- Hepatology