A Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Establishing SIFs in Edmonton

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2016-09
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Abstract
A large proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmissions are attributed to needle sharing amongst injection drug users. Injection drug users (IDU) have a higher probability of becoming infected with HIV and HCV and other blood-borne diseases than any other group. According to a survey of IDU, 11 per cent are living with HIV and 68 per cent have been infected with HCV. The healthcare costs associated with these long-term illnesses are significant costs for Alberta’s healthcare system. Despite the fact that Alberta currently has needle exchange programs (NEPs) in place, the numbers of new cases of HIV have been increasing in Alberta since 2010 from 204 cases to 255 cases in 2013. And in 2013, infection rates were alarmingly highest in Edmonton with 8.8 cases per 100,000 persons.
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Citation
Steppacher, Joy. (2016). A Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Establishing SIFs in Edmonton ( Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.