Effectiveness of an Embedded Infectious Disease Screening, Treatment, and Prevention Intervention Within an Inpatient Substance Use Treatment Program

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Integrated infectious disease (ID) screening within inpatient substance use disorder (SUD) programs significantly increases testing rates.
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During the intervention, screening for at least one ID rose from 60.2% to 90.8%, with notable increases in hepatitis A, B, and latent tuberculosis.
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Vaccination rates for hepatitis A and B improved dramatically, from 0% to 58% and 71%, respectively, during the intervention.
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Direct-acting antiviral therapy initiation for hepatitis C increased from 0% in usual care to 36.8% in the intervention group.
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The study demonstrates that co-locating ID screening in SUD treatment can enhance preventive and therapeutic care delivery.

Open Forum Infectious Diseases

by Kelly E Dyer, Rebecca Russell, Rayek Nafiz, Angela Burdick-McPhee, Jean O’Neal, Tanajsia Mason, Danica Kuncio, Hannah Zellman, Margaret Lowenstein, Nancy Aitcheson, Vincent Lo Re, Jessie Torgersen
July 24, 2025

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