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Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority men (SMM) who engage in condomless anal sex and injection drug use are at increased risk for viral Hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Additionally, studies have found racial disparities in HCV cases across the United States. However, very few epidemiological studies have examin...

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Autores principales: Ogunbajo, Adedotun, Brooks, Mitchell, Oke, Temitope, Martinez, Omar, Latkin, Carl, Myers, Kirk, Hickson, DeMarc A.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10325100/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37410770
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288129
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author Ogunbajo, Adedotun
Brooks, Mitchell
Oke, Temitope
Martinez, Omar
Latkin, Carl
Myers, Kirk
Hickson, DeMarc A.
author_facet Ogunbajo, Adedotun
Brooks, Mitchell
Oke, Temitope
Martinez, Omar
Latkin, Carl
Myers, Kirk
Hickson, DeMarc A.
author_sort Ogunbajo, Adedotun
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Sexual minority men (SMM) who engage in condomless anal sex and injection drug use are at increased risk for viral Hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Additionally, studies have found racial disparities in HCV cases across the United States. However, very few epidemiological studies have examined factors associated with HCV infection in HIV-negative Black and Latino SMM. This paper describes the rationale, design, and methodology of a prospective epidemiological study to quantify the HCV prevalence and incidence and investigate the individual and environmental-level predictors of HCV infection among HIV-negative, Black and Latino SMM in the Southern U.S. METHODS: Beginning in September 2021, 400 Black and Latino SMM, aged 18 years and above, will be identified, recruited and retained over 12-months of follow-up from two study sites: greater Washington, DC and Dallas, TX areas. After written informed consent, participants will undergo integrated HIV/STI testing, including HCV, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Subsequently, participants will complete a quantitative survey—including a social and sexual network inventory—and an exit interview to review test results and confirm participants’ contact information. Individual, interpersonal, and environmental factors will be assessed at baseline and follow-up visits (6 and 12 months). The primary outcomes are HCV prevalence and incidence. Secondary outcomes are sexual behavior, substance use, and psychosocial health. RESULTS: To date (March 2023) a total of 162 participants have completed baseline visits at the DC study site and 161 participants have completed baseline visits at the Texas study site. CONCLUSION: This study has several implications that will directly affect the health and wellness of Black and Latino SMM. Specifically, our results will inform more-focused HCV clinical guidelines (i.e., effective strategies for HCV screening among Black/Latino SMM), intervention development and other prevention and treatment activities and development of patient assistance programs for the treatment of HCV among uninsured persons, especially in Deep South, that have yet to expand Medicaid.
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spelling pubmed-103251002023-07-07 Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study Ogunbajo, Adedotun Brooks, Mitchell Oke, Temitope Martinez, Omar Latkin, Carl Myers, Kirk Hickson, DeMarc A. PLoS One Study Protocol BACKGROUND: Sexual minority men (SMM) who engage in condomless anal sex and injection drug use are at increased risk for viral Hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Additionally, studies have found racial disparities in HCV cases across the United States. However, very few epidemiological studies have examined factors associated with HCV infection in HIV-negative Black and Latino SMM. This paper describes the rationale, design, and methodology of a prospective epidemiological study to quantify the HCV prevalence and incidence and investigate the individual and environmental-level predictors of HCV infection among HIV-negative, Black and Latino SMM in the Southern U.S. METHODS: Beginning in September 2021, 400 Black and Latino SMM, aged 18 years and above, will be identified, recruited and retained over 12-months of follow-up from two study sites: greater Washington, DC and Dallas, TX areas. After written informed consent, participants will undergo integrated HIV/STI testing, including HCV, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Subsequently, participants will complete a quantitative survey—including a social and sexual network inventory—and an exit interview to review test results and confirm participants’ contact information. Individual, interpersonal, and environmental factors will be assessed at baseline and follow-up visits (6 and 12 months). The primary outcomes are HCV prevalence and incidence. Secondary outcomes are sexual behavior, substance use, and psychosocial health. RESULTS: To date (March 2023) a total of 162 participants have completed baseline visits at the DC study site and 161 participants have completed baseline visits at the Texas study site. CONCLUSION: This study has several implications that will directly affect the health and wellness of Black and Latino SMM. Specifically, our results will inform more-focused HCV clinical guidelines (i.e., effective strategies for HCV screening among Black/Latino SMM), intervention development and other prevention and treatment activities and development of patient assistance programs for the treatment of HCV among uninsured persons, especially in Deep South, that have yet to expand Medicaid. Public Library of Science 2023-07-06 /pmc/articles/PMC10325100/ /pubmed/37410770 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288129 Text en © 2023 Ogunbajo et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Study Protocol
Ogunbajo, Adedotun
Brooks, Mitchell
Oke, Temitope
Martinez, Omar
Latkin, Carl
Myers, Kirk
Hickson, DeMarc A.
Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title_full Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title_fullStr Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title_full_unstemmed Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title_short Hepatitis C (HCV) among Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southern United States: Protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
title_sort hepatitis c (hcv) among black and latino sexual minority men (smm) in the southern united states: protocol of a prospective cohort epidemiological study
topic Study Protocol
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10325100/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37410770
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288129
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