ETHOS Cohort

As part of an Australia wide project aiming to increase HCV assessment and treatment capacity, the ETHOS (Enhancing Treatment of Hepatitis C in Opiate Substitution Settings) cohort has been developed.

The ETHOS cohort is a prospective observational study designed to examine HCV assessment, treatment uptake, response to therapy and re-infection following successful treatment among people with chronic HCV infection and a history of injection drug use.

The study aims to enrol 300 participants in NSW, Australia in 2009 and recruitment for the study commenced in February 2009. Currently seven sites in NSW are participating in the study (six of which are opiate pharmacotherapy clinics); further national and international collaboration is planned.

Data is collected at baseline and each 6 monthly follow up visit. For participants who commence treatment their treatment schedule and HCV assessments through treatment are also collected. The data collection includes practitioner administered questionnaires (demographics, current and previous drug use, social functioning, mental health assessment - MINI and DASS21), case note review (full medical and psychiatric history, markers of liver disease, history of HCV assessment) and pathology tests.

Current Study Protocol

Principal Investigator: Professor Greg Dore

Project Coordinator: Alexa Gillman