Influence of hepatitis C status on alcohol consumption in opiate users in treatment

Aims. To estimate the prevalence of (a) hazardous and/or harmful drinking, (b) alcohol consumption, (c) perceived hepatitis C status (HCV) in opiate u sers in treatment and (d) assess the influence of perceived HCV status on c onsumption and attitudes to risk. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Setting. A methadone maintenance clinic and a drug treatment centre within a British substance misuse service in London. Participants. A random sample of 93 op iate users in treatment. Measurements. Hazardous and/or harmful drinking wa s assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Alc ohol consumption was assessed using several indicators. Data on clinical an d demographic characteristics, perceived HCV status, change in consumption and attitudes to alcohol consumption were also collected. Findings. A third of the sample were identified as AUDIT cases, 17% drank more than one unit /day and 15% were drinking above the weekly, recommended units for safe dri nking (21 for men, 14 for women). Perceived HCV positive status was estimat ed at 70%. HCV status influenced consumption with fewer HCV positive than H CV negative clients drinking any alcohol in the previous year. Also, more H CV positive clients than HCV negative clients, reduced their consumption af ter the HCV test result. HCV status had some influence on attitudes to drin king for HCV positive people, although most were aware that abstinence was important for those with HCV positive status. Conclusion. Perceived HCV pos itive status has some influence on alcohol consumption. Despite these findi ngs, training on harm reduction advice on alcohol consumption, particularly in HCV positive clients, should be extended. More intense interventions, w ithin drug treatment services, may be required for those drinkers for whom advice is insufficient.