Research Initiatives
Employing evidence-based approaches to hepatitis C care in prisons are key to achieving the national elimination goals. The NPHN is committed to facilitating research initiatives, aligned with NPHN priorities, which aim to understand, evaluate, and enhance the delivery of hepatitis C care in Australian prisons. Learn about our research initiatives below.
DIRECT LINKS
HEPATITIS C EDUCATION
NPHN Key Priority (2017 – 2023; completed):
To establish a national education initiative with a goal to develop a prison-focused hepatitis C education program for people in prison, correctional officers, and healthcare providers working in the prison sector.
The HepPEd Project aimed to develop, deliver, and evaluate a ‘whole-of-sector’, public health literacy hepatitis C education program with prison-focused content for all key populations in the prison sector (people in prison, correctional officers, and healthcare providers). Funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Project Grant, the program was co-designed with key stakeholders and a research evaluation of the impact of HepPEd on hepatitis C testing rates, as well as the health literacy of the target audience groups, was conducted in two Australian prisons.
BBV SURVEILLANCE
NPHN Key Priority (2017 – 2023; completed):
To establish a model for surveillance of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV risk and infection rates, and antiviral treatment uptake, in the prison sector in each state and territory.
The Australian Hepatitis and risk survey in prisons (AusHep)
AusHep is a Commonwealth-supported annual bio-behavioural survey which assesses the prevalence of blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and risk behaviours in the Australian prison sector at national and jurisdictional levels, using a point-of-care testing strategy.