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Oregon Health Authority

People who use Drugs

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Hepatitis and Drug Use

Persons with injection drug use risk often have additional complex health and social issues. They experience marginalization, stigma and barriers to accessing social, behavioral and health care services. These challenges contribute to PWUDs’ continued viral hepatitis transmission and significant morbidity and mortality from viral hepatitis-related liver disease.

Hepatitis C

Injection drug use is the predominant route of transmission of HCV in Oregon and nationally. Of the 149 acute HCV cases (people with symptoms of hepatitis who were recently infected) interviewed in Oregon from 2016 to 2020, 62% reported injecting drugs in the previous six months.

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Although OHA does not routinely interview cases occurring in people who do not have any symptoms of hepatitis but are screened and found to be positive for HCV, we do track trends over time.  Typically, we assume that people diagnosed in their twenties probably acquired their infection through injection drug use.  The proportion of HCV cases in people under 30 has doubled between 2006 (when HCV first became reportable) and 2020, up to 15% of cases.

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A recent study conducted in Coos, Douglas, Josephine, and Lane counties between 2018 and 2021 found that among people of all ages who used injection drugs, 64% were male and 62% were between the ages of 30–49 years.  Methamphetamine was the drug of choice for 51% and heroin for 42%, but many people who prefer heroin also used methamphetamines.

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A majority (72%) of people reported being homeless in the past 6 months, and 32% had been incarcerated— two additional factors that increase marginalization and stigma and decrease access to housing, social, behavioral and health care services. OHA has partnered with community-driven efforts to help increase viral hepatitis-related prevention, testing, diagnosis and care among People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) across Oregon.