Each Evidence Update provides an overview of existing research focused on a topic of interest relevant to sexual health and/or blood-borne viruses.

Click here to access the evidence update. 

Evidence Update: Acceptability and Feasibility of Point-of-Care Hepatitis C RNA Testing in Prisons

The evidence demonstrates that POC testing significantly improves testing uptake, treatment initiation rates, and care cascade completion in correctional facilities. Prison populations represent a critical opportunity for HCV elimination efforts given the high prevalence of infection (approximately 8-31% globally) and concentrated vulnerable populations who may not access community healthcare services.

Key findings
• POC testing increases HCV testing rates by 2.6-fold compared to standard laboratory testing
• Treatment uptake improves dramatically (from 22% to 93% within 12 weeks in some studies)
• Time to treatment initiation is significantly reduced (from 99 days to 6 days median) • High patient acceptability across diverse prison populations
• Cost-effective compared to community-based testing models
• Critical component for achieving WHO HCV elimination goals by 2030