Young people living on Vancouver streets particularly at risk of hepatitis C: study

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The number of young people infected with hepatitis C on the streets of Vancouver is on the rise.

That’s according to a new study by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. Dr. Scott Hadland with the Centre says drug use is the primary cause.

“When we looked at factors that were associated with developing Hepatitis C, we found that injection drug use of heroin, cocaine, and crystal methamphetamine were the primary drivers of this risk profile.”

When the study began, over 10 per cent of the street youth involved tested positive for hepatitis C. Of the 512 that didn’t have the virus, 10 per cent went on to become infected by the end of the six-year observation period.

Hadland says this report underscores the need for more action. “Because we were so shocked by the rates of hepatitis C in this population, it really drove home to us the importance of drug treatment, prevention, and harm reduction programs.”

He says recent studies have shown that in the United States, people are more likely to die of hepatitis C than HIV/AIDS.

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