This dissertation evaluates the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategies among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural and local public health settings. Using economic-epidemiological modeling, the research assesses interventions including expanded testing and treatment, syringe services programs (SSPs), medication assisted treatment, and same-day point-of-care test-and-treat strategies over a 20-year time horizon. A mixed-methods approach integrates stakeholder interviews with transmission modeling to assess real-world feasibility and implementation readiness. Findings demonstrate that scaling up testing and treatment is highly cost-effective, capable of achieving a 90% reduction in HCV incidence, with SSPs further enhancing value and accelerating impact. These studies support investment in comprehensive, community-centered interventions as both economically sound and essential to advancing health equity in HCV elimination efforts among underserved populations.
","abstract_html":"<p dir="ltr">This dissertation evaluates the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategies among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural and local public health settings. Using economic-epidemiological modeling, the research assesses interventions including expanded testing and treatment, syringe services programs (SSPs), medication assisted treatment, and same-day point-of-care test-and-treat strategies over a 20-year time horizon. A mixed-methods approach integrates stakeholder interviews with transmission modeling to assess real-world feasibility and implementation readiness. Findings demonstrate that scaling up testing and treatment is highly cost-effective, capable of achieving a 90% reduction in HCV incidence, with SSPs further enhancing value and accelerating impact. These studies support investment in comprehensive, community-centered interventions as both economically sound and essential to advancing health equity in HCV elimination efforts among underserved populations.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sheri Tubach (23804605)"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-05-19T00:00:00Z","date_published":"2026-05-19T00:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:33:35Z","subjects":["Harm Reduction","Hepatitis C virus","PARiHS","Persons who inject drugs","Point-of-care testing","Rapid qualitative analysis","Cost-effectiveness analysis"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.32256933.v1","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sheri Tubach (23804605)"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2026-05-19T00:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:relation","label":"Dc Relation","values":["https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/_b_Integrating_Qualitative_Inquiry_and_Cost-Effectiveness_Modeling_to_Inform_Equitable_Hepatitis_C_Care_Implementation_b_/32256933"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text","Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Harm Reduction","Hepatitis C virus","PARiHS","Persons who inject drugs","Point-of-care testing","Rapid qualitative analysis","Cost-effectiveness analysis"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.25417/uic.32256933.v1"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["This dissertation evaluates the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategies among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural and local public health settings. Using economic-epidemiological modeling, the research assesses interventions including expanded testing and treatment, syringe services programs (SSPs), medication assisted treatment, and same-day point-of-care test-and-treat strategies over a 20-year time horizon. A mixed-methods approach integrates stakeholder interviews with transmission modeling to assess real-world feasibility and implementation readiness. Findings demonstrate that scaling up testing and treatment is highly cost-effective, capable of achieving a 90% reduction in HCV incidence, with SSPs further enhancing value and accelerating impact. These studies support investment in comprehensive, community-centered interventions as both economically sound and essential to advancing health equity in HCV elimination efforts among underserved populations.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Integrating Qualitative Inquiry and Cost-Effectiveness Modeling to Inform Equitable Hepatitis C Care Implementation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Sheri Tubach (23804605)"],"dc:date":["2026-05-19T00:00:00Z"],"dc:description":["This dissertation evaluates the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategies among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural and local public health settings. Using economic-epidemiological modeling, the research assesses interventions including expanded testing and treatment, syringe services programs (SSPs), medication assisted treatment, and same-day point-of-care test-and-treat strategies over a 20-year time horizon. A mixed-methods approach integrates stakeholder interviews with transmission modeling to assess real-world feasibility and implementation readiness. Findings demonstrate that scaling up testing and treatment is highly cost-effective, capable of achieving a 90% reduction in HCV incidence, with SSPs further enhancing value and accelerating impact. These studies support investment in comprehensive, community-centered interventions as both economically sound and essential to advancing health equity in HCV elimination efforts among underserved populations.
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