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Majority of people with HCV infection may be unaware of condition

Less than half of patients with HCV may be aware of their infection status, according to a recent study.

Researchers analyzed data from 393 patients with previous or current HCV infection who had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2008. Of these patients, 170 participated in a follow-up survey and interview process conducted 6 months after initial examination. The patients were asked whether they knew about their HCV status prior to NHANES, what they did in response to notification, and their knowledge of the condition.

Among the respondents, 84 (49.7%) were aware of their HCV infection before notification through NHANES and three patients (3.7%) within this subgroup indicated that their initial HCV test had been the result of themselves or their doctor thinking they were at risk for the illness. Most participants (85.4%) had heard of HCV prior to notification, and 131 (77.5%) reported having seen a doctor after receiving their first positive test result for HCV, while 3.6% indicated that they had an upcoming appointment.

The survey analyzing participants’ knowledge of HCV was administered to 163 participants. The majority of patients correctly answered the survey questions, with correct responses for individual questions ranging from 57.1% to 95.7% of participants. Questions receiving the most incorrect responses included whether HCV could be transmitted through having sex, kissing or by passing from a mother to a child at birth.

Knowledge of the illness tended to be stronger among patients aged 40 to 59 years, white non-Hispanic participants, and those who reported visiting a doctor after receiving a positive test result. One question regarding HCV transmission via blood transfusion was correctly answered by 98.3% of women compared with 86.5% of men (P=.008).

“These data indicate that fewer than half of those infected with HCV may be aware of their infection,” the researchers wrote. “The findings suggest that more intensive efforts are needed to identify and test those at risk for HCV infection and the need to educate patients and providers about appropriate interaction on prevention decisions and actions.”