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Hepatitis B infection high in Hispanic women
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Researchers have observed increased rates in chronic hepatitis B infection among pregnant, minority, immigrant women residing in New York City. These women were uneducated about hepatitis and did not receive appropriate follow-up care, according to researchers at Columbia Medical Center.
“Prenatal screening is a golden opportunity to identify chronic hepatitis B infection in young mothers at risk for life-threatening complications, including liver failure and liver cancer,” Blaire E. Burman, MD, internal medicine resident at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, said in a press release. “We need to use prenatal testing to engage patients with intervention and prevention of future morbidity and mortality.”
Nearly 75% of women who tested positive for HBV were Hispanic. Moreover, almost 90% of the study population reported not being educated about hepatitis, or not receiving testing or subsequent care for the disease.
Subpopulations of largely immigrant and underserved patients are living with chronic HBV and are at serious risk for morbidity and mortality, the researchers wrote. Given the lack of follow-up testing and imaging, it is unclear what percentage of infected women would qualify for and benefit from therapy. “These data cannot be applied to women with private insurance and established medical follow-up,” Burman said.
For more information:
- Burman BE. #Tu1014. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week 2011; May 7-10; Chicago
Disclosure: Dr. Burman reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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