Relationship of hepatitis C risk to hepatitis C test acceptance among adult patients participating in an ED hepatitis C screening programme.

Authors

• Ethan Cowan
• Samantha Brandspiegel
• Benjamin Araki
• Clare O'Brien-Lambert
• Roland Merchant
• David G Buckler
• Erick Eiting
• Yvette Calderon

Publication/Presentation Date

5-1-2023

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is possible that adult ED patients consider their hepatitis C virus (HCV) risk factor history when deciding whether to accept HCV screening. To help address this question, we examined whether self-reporting any HCV risk was more common among ED patients who agreed than who declined HCV screening. Among ED patients who agreed to HCV screening, we also assessed if self-reporting any HCV risk was more common among those whose HCV antibody (Ab) and HCV viral load (VL) test results were positive.

METHODS: This study was conducted among adult patients ≥18 years old participating in a universal, ED-based HCV screening programme in New York City between 22 January 2019 and 9 April 2020. Participants were surveyed about their HCV risk factors. Differences in the frequencies of self-reporting any HCV risk were compared according to HCV screening acceptance and by HCV Ab and VL status.

RESULTS: Of the 4658 ED patients surveyed, 2846 (61%) accepted and 1812 (39%) declined HCV screening. Among these participants, 38% reported at least one HCV risk factor, most commonly injection drug use. Self-reporting any HCV risk was not more common among those who accepted versus declined HCV screening (40% vs 37%, p< 0.7) but was more common among those with HCV Ab positive versus negative test results (36% vs 6%, p< 0.001) and HCV VL positive versus negative results (95% vs 5%, p< 0.001).

CONCLUSION: HCV risk factors were self-reported by more than one-third of ED patients but were not more commonly present among those who accepted HCV screening.

Volume

40

Issue

5

First Page

341

Last Page

346

ISSN

1472-0213

Published In/Presented At

Cowan, E., Brandspiegel, S., Araki, B., O'Brien-Lambert, C., Merchant, R., Buckler, D. G., Eiting, E., & Calderon, Y. (2023). Relationship of hepatitis C risk to hepatitis C test acceptance among adult patients participating in an ED hepatitis C screening programme. Emergency medicine journal : EMJ, 40(5), 341–346. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2022-212726

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

36593093

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article