Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers
Abstract Background Hepatitis C is a significant public health challenge in Australia, particularly in diagnosis, treatment access, and ongoing care among people who inject drugs. Despite the availability of highly effective direct-acting antivirals and government subsidisation, treatment uptake has...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02865-3 |
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| author | Jonathan Hallett Tina Price Corie Gray Shoshana Rosenberg Roanna Lobo Gemma Crawford |
| author_facet | Jonathan Hallett Tina Price Corie Gray Shoshana Rosenberg Roanna Lobo Gemma Crawford |
| author_sort | Jonathan Hallett |
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| description | Abstract Background Hepatitis C is a significant public health challenge in Australia, particularly in diagnosis, treatment access, and ongoing care among people who inject drugs. Despite the availability of highly effective direct-acting antivirals and government subsidisation, treatment uptake has declined among this population in recent years, beyond what would be expected from the initial treatment of easier-to-reach patients. Objectives This rapid scoping review aimed to identify barriers and enablers affecting primary care providers in prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment. Eligibility criteria Studies were included if they: were published after 2014, focused on DAA treatment, included primary care provider perspectives, contained primary data, identified barriers/enablers to treatment, and were conducted in high-income countries. Sources of evidence Two databases (Web of Science and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Primary care stakeholders were consulted through an online survey (n = 10) and telephone interviews (n = 7) to contextualise and validate findings. Charting methods Data were charted using a standardised form capturing author, year, location, aim, participants, study details, and main findings. Analysis used a deductive approach to identify key themes. Results Twenty-three articles, mostly quantitative studies, were included in the review. The analysis identified four key domains influencing direct-acting antiviral prescription: provider characteristics, healthcare systems and service delivery, models of care, and societal and structural issues. Conclusions This review provides insights into contemporary challenges in hepatitis C care delivery models and highlights critical structural, sociocultural, and interpersonal factors affecting testing and treatment, particularly for people who inject drugs. These findings have implications for improving direct-acting antiviral prescription rates in primary care settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e8253c294b0a4e569b2edf554f32300b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-e8253c294b0a4e569b2edf554f32300b2025-08-20T02:25:17ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532025-05-0126111110.1186/s12875-025-02865-3Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providersJonathan Hallett0Tina Price1Corie Gray2Shoshana Rosenberg3Roanna Lobo4Gemma Crawford5Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin UniversityCanadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of VictoriaCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin UniversityCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin UniversityCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin UniversityCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin UniversityAbstract Background Hepatitis C is a significant public health challenge in Australia, particularly in diagnosis, treatment access, and ongoing care among people who inject drugs. Despite the availability of highly effective direct-acting antivirals and government subsidisation, treatment uptake has declined among this population in recent years, beyond what would be expected from the initial treatment of easier-to-reach patients. Objectives This rapid scoping review aimed to identify barriers and enablers affecting primary care providers in prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment. Eligibility criteria Studies were included if they: were published after 2014, focused on DAA treatment, included primary care provider perspectives, contained primary data, identified barriers/enablers to treatment, and were conducted in high-income countries. Sources of evidence Two databases (Web of Science and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Primary care stakeholders were consulted through an online survey (n = 10) and telephone interviews (n = 7) to contextualise and validate findings. Charting methods Data were charted using a standardised form capturing author, year, location, aim, participants, study details, and main findings. Analysis used a deductive approach to identify key themes. Results Twenty-three articles, mostly quantitative studies, were included in the review. The analysis identified four key domains influencing direct-acting antiviral prescription: provider characteristics, healthcare systems and service delivery, models of care, and societal and structural issues. Conclusions This review provides insights into contemporary challenges in hepatitis C care delivery models and highlights critical structural, sociocultural, and interpersonal factors affecting testing and treatment, particularly for people who inject drugs. These findings have implications for improving direct-acting antiviral prescription rates in primary care settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02865-3Hepatitis CDirect-acting antiviralsInjecting drug usePrimary careGeneral practice |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan Hallett Tina Price Corie Gray Shoshana Rosenberg Roanna Lobo Gemma Crawford Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers BMC Primary Care Hepatitis C Direct-acting antivirals Injecting drug use Primary care General practice |
| title | Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| title_full | Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| title_fullStr | Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| title_short | Prescribing direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment: a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| title_sort | prescribing direct acting antivirals for hepatitis c treatment a scoping review of factors that influence primary care providers |
| topic | Hepatitis C Direct-acting antivirals Injecting drug use Primary care General practice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02865-3 |
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