Mobile Telemedicine for Treating Chronic Hepatitis C Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs

Is a mobile telemedicine-based intervention for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection associated with increased HCV treatment initiation and viral clearance and reduced injection equipment sharing among rural persons who inject drugs?In this randomized clinical trial of 150 rural persons with chronic HCV infection and a history of drug injection, a mobile telemedicine-based HCV intervention, compared with enhanced usual care, was associated with significantly greater initiation of HCV treatment (57% vs 27%) and viral clearance (37% vs 19%) but not reduced equipment sharing.Mobile telemedicine may be a reasonable approach to increase uptake of HCV treatment among rural persons who inject drugs.

Corresponding Author: Peter D. Friedmann, MD, MPH, Department of Population peter.friedmann3@umassmed.edu).

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