{"id":2207,"date":"2023-02-02T10:30:03","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T01:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/blog\/?p=2207"},"modified":"2024-05-16T21:49:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T12:19:38","slug":"its-your-right-in-sa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/communitynews\/2023\/02\/its-your-right-in-sa\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Your Right in SA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New hep C testing\/treatment campaign\u2019s successes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia<\/a> Partnership (EC Australia) was created in 2018 to bring together researchers, scientists, government, health services and community organisations to work toward eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat in Australia by 2030 (see last issue for more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EC Australia \u201cIt\u2019s Your Right\u201d Health Promotion Campaign (IYR) aims to reduce the prevalence of hepatitis C amongst people who inject drugs by using peer engagement to increase access to hepatitis C testing and treatment. The campaign aims to shift perceptions about treatment and support people to prioritise treatment for hepatitis C.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SA component of the IYR campaign was delivered between April and July in key metropolitan areas. Peer outreach focused on four areas: Adelaide and the inner suburbs, the northern suburbs, the southern suburbs and the western suburbs (including Port Adelaide). In each area trained IYR peers worked in pairs to talk to people who inject drugs about hep C and refer them to the local peer Clean Needle Program (CNP) and testing\/treatment services. It\u2019s Your Right merchandise (caps, tote bags, tourniquets) was used as an outreach engagement tool and given to people who inject drugs who engaged in HCV conversations with the IYR peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis SA hep C peers conducted point-of-care testing<\/a> for HCV at services in each of the four areas during the time that the IYR peers were undertaking outreach. Incentives were provided to people who inject drugs if they undertook testing after being referred by the IYR peers. Additional \u2018bring a friend\u2019 incentives were aimed at increasing the number of conversations about hepatitis C and the number of people accessing hep C testing or treatment. All participants testing positive were referred by the hep C peers to community-based viral hepatitis nurses for active follow-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Still from an ‘It’s Your Right’ video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The It\u2019s Your Right campaign provided many opportunities for the CNP Peer Projects. The street\/community-based outreach was a new way to engage with people who inject drugs, especially more marginalised injectors, and to facilitate increased access to hep C testing and treatment for our clients. Having CNP peers working with and supporting hep C peers provided an opportunity to work more closely across programs within Hepatitis SA. The campaign was also an opportunity to recruit and train more peer workers, including 2 Aboriginal peers which has led to increased engagement with Aboriginal people who inject drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some notable \u2018It\u2019s Your Right\u2019 Health Promotion Campaign Successes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n