Tag: Hepatitis C

Progress toward viral hepatitis elimination in Canada: Holding governments accountable

On May 11, 2023, Action Hepatitis Canada (AHC) released its Progress Toward Viral Hepatitis Elimination in Canada 2023 Report. This is an update on the 2021 report and provides an analysis of each province and territory’s progress toward eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, a goal set by the World Health Organization (WHO). With a cure for hepatitis C and a vaccine for hepatitis B, this is an ambitious yet realistic goal. Two years after the initial report, we wanted to see what progress had been made in adopting person-centred policies through a health equity lens,...

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Stigma and hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is often impacted by significant social stigma, affecting marginalized groups including people with lived experience of drug use and imprisonment, as well as Indigenous communities. Stigma arises when negative attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes are held by individuals or society towards a particular group. This leads to discrimination, marginalization, as well as negative social and health outcomes for stigmatized groups or individuals. People who use drugs and hepatitis C People who use drugs, particularly through injection, are at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis C through sharing needles and other drug use equipment. However, the stigma associated with drug...

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Three important things to know about hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs

In Canada, recent estimates show that people who inject drugs continue to be disproportionately affected by high rates of hepatitis C and HIV. They are also less likely to be tested, connected to care or receive treatment. To prevent hepatitis C and HIV, as well as improve outcomes for people who inject drugs, it is important to gain a better understanding of how changes in the drug supply and related trends impact vulnerability to these infections and how we can improve supports. To identify where these additional supports are most needed, the following three important points can help us to...

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If you build it, they will come: Creating an HIV and hepatitis C virtual classroom for Saskatchewan primary care providers

Saskatchewan Infectious Disease Care Network (SIDCN) is a non-profit organization created and directed by HIV and hepatitis C physician specialists. In addition to providing HIV and hepatitis C patient care and research projects, SIDCN administered a four-year continuing medical education program known as the HIV/HCV Primary Care Capacity Improvement Project. This project was funded using two consecutive two-year harm reduction fund grants from the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

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