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Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:
1. Identify key elements of successful HCV education in high-risk drug users.
2. Understand the impact on knowledge, attitudes, and motivations toward behavior change of a peer-based curriculum that targets high-risk drug users.
Background:
Although drug injectors represent the majority of cases of hepatitis C, they are the least likely to have access to intervention due to many potential barriers, including intervening drug use, psychiatric illness, and psychosocial instability. Additionally, mistrust of authority and lack of cultural competence may limit the effectiveness of engagement strategies.
Methods:
To overcome some of the barriers to HCV interventions, we developed a 4-module video curriculum for hepatitis C. The 4 short modules are highly peer-based, culturally competent, and deliver prevention and education messages in a positive, dynamic format. We used a questionnaire administered before and immediately after curriculum viewing to assess its impact on knowledge, attitudes, and motivations in a pilot sample of 20 drug users.
Results:
The 39-question test battery was comprised of 30 knowledge questions, 6 questions assessing attitudes about HCV transmission behaviors, and 3 questions assessing motivations toward appropriate behavior change. On baseline testing, 45.8% of knowledge questions were answered correctly vs 79.7% after curriculum viewing (p<0.001); improved scoring was seen overall in 29 of the 30 questions and was statistically significant in 16. Similarly, all 6 measures of attitude and the 3 questions assessing behavior change motivations showed trends toward improvement.
Conclusions:
A culturally-competent video-based curriculum for high-risk drug users may be an effective strategy for improving knowledge, improving attitudes about transmission behaviors, and motivating toward behaviors such as testing and vaccination. After modifications of the curriculum are made, we plan a larger study to assess the curriculum's impact on both in- and out-of-treatment drug users in a single as well as multi-part format.
See more of I2 - A Video-Based HCV Educational Curriculum for High-Risk Drug Users
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference