Hepatitis C Testing, Status and Treatment among Marginalized People Who Use Drugs in an Inner City Setting: An Observational Cohort Study.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among people who inject drugs (PWID) and is associated with morbidity and premature death. Although HCV can be cured, treatment may be inaccessible. We studied HCV testing, status and treatment among marginalized people who use drugs in Ottawa, Canada, a setting with universal insurance coverage for physician services.

A cohort study examining emergency department visits and hospital admissions among people who use drugs in Ottawa, Canada.

Background: The health of people who use drugs (PWUD) is characterized by multimorbidity and chronicity of health conditions, necessitating an understanding of their health care utilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions among a cohort of PWUD.

Methods: We used a retrospective observational design between 2012 and 2013.