Abstract
<jats:p>Hepatitis C virus infection is relatively common among people who use or have used drugs. However, this group faces barriers to accessing hospital-based care. This thesis shows that addiction does not have to limit access to high-quality hepatitis C care. Once engaged in care, patients receive care comparable to, and sometimes more intensive than, that provided to the general population. It also demonstrates that hepatitis C treatment can be successfully delivered within addiction care services. In a nationwide care model, patients were tested and treated in familiar addiction care settings, often without requiring a hospital visit. Among those infected, almost all were successfully treated. This approach was considered valuable and well aligned with patients’ needs. At the same time, organisational and financial barriers limited its wider implementation. These findings highlight the important role of addiction care services in reducing the burden of hepatitis C and advancing the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat.</jats:p>