Hep C/Viral Hepatitis
Hepatitis C Treatment Among Commercially or Medicaid-Insured Individuals, 2014–2018
The proportion of individuals infected with hepatitis C virus that receive direct-acting antiviral treatment is unclear.Cascade of Hepatitis C Virus Care Among Patients With Substance Use Disorders
Hepatitis C virus testing is recommended for people at high risk for infection, including those with substance use disorders. Little is known about the cascade of hepatitis C virus care (including testing, diagnosis, and treatments) among patients with substance use disorders in real-world clinical practice. This study aims to characterize the hepatitis C virus cascade of care and identify the factors associated with hepatitis C virus testing and diagnosis among Florida Medicaid beneficiaries with substance use disorders.Decreases in Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare services, reducing opportunities to conduct routine hepatitis C virus antibody screening, clinical care, and treatment. Therefore, people living with undiagnosed hepatitis C virus during the pandemic may later become identified at more advanced stages of the disease, leading to higher morbidity and mortality rates. Further, unidentified hepatitis C virus–infected individuals may continue to unknowingly transmit the virus to others.Rural–Urban Residence and Maternal Hepatitis C Infection, U.S.: 2010–2018
The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among women delivering live births in the U.S. may be higher in rural areas where county-level estimates may be unreliable. The aim of this study is to model county-level maternal hepatitis C virus infection among deliveries in the U.S.Changing Urban–Rural Disparities in the Utilization of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents for Hepatitis C in U.S. Medicare Patients, 2014–2017
The advent of direct-acting antiviral agents for treating hepatitis C virus infection has made hepatitis C virus elimination possible. Rural patients with hepatitis C virus infection may be less likely to access direct-acting antiviral agents, but the real-world evidence is scarce on urban–rural disparities in direct-acting antiviral agent utilization.Impact of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommendation and State Law on Birth Cohort Hepatitis C Screening of New York City Medicaid Recipients
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that, during 1999–2008, people born in 1945–1965 (the baby boomer generation) represented approximately 75% of people infected with hepatitis C virus and 73% of hepatitis C virus–associated deaths and are at greatest risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver disease. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended one-time hepatitis C virus screening for people born during 1945–1965. In addition, New York State enacted a Hepatitis C Virus Testing Law in 2014.Harm Reduction Coverage and Hepatitis C Incidence: Findings From a Cohort of People Who Inject Drugs
Needle and syringe programs and opioid agonist therapy are essential for harm reduction among people who inject drugs. Few studies assess their combined potential in preventing hepatitis C virus infection. No studies have assessed whether they perform similarly among individuals at risk of primary and recurrent infection. This study aimed to estimate the rates of hepatitis C virus acquisition according to harm reduction coverage among hepatitis C virus–naive and previously infected people who inject drugs in Montreal, Canada.Public Health Clinic–Based Hepatitis C Treatment
The availability of safe, effective treatments for hepatitis C virus infection has led to a call for the elimination of hepatitis C, but barriers to care persist.Hepatitis C Testing and Patient Characteristics in Washington State's Prisons Between 2012 and 2016
There is no widely accepted testing approach for hepatitis C virus infection in correctional settings, and many U.S. prisons do not provide routine testing. The aim of this study was to determine the most effective hepatitis C virus testing strategy in one U.S. state prison and describe the population with reactive testing.Hepatitis C Virus in Women of Childbearing Age, Pregnant Women, and Children
Perinatal transmission is an increasingly important mode of hepatitis C virus transmission. The authors characterized U.S. births among hepatitis C virus–infected women and evaluated trends in hepatitis C virus testing and positivity in women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and children aged less than 5 years.Heterogeneity of Hepatitis B Infection Among Pregnant Asian American and Pacific Islander Women
Perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is a key driver of racial health disparities in liver cancer and mortality in the U.S. This study documents the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women across racial/ethnic groups and among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to assess the need for intervention, and then identifies the individual correlates of hepatitis B virus infection among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women.Recent Hepatitis C Virus Testing Patterns Among Baby Boomers
Approximately 3.5 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the U.S., 80% of whom are “baby boomers” (born between 1945 and 1965).1 Most infected individuals are not aware of their infections despite availability of treatments that may reduce their risk of HCV-related diseases, including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.2 To curb the growing burden of these HCV-associated diseases, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended one-time HCV testing for baby boomers in 2013.Sexual and Behavioral Health Disparities Among Sexual Minority Hispanics/Latinos: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2014
Hispanics/Latinos (henceforth, Latinos) are the largest minority group in the U.S. With growing health disparities among this group, the highest burden remains among sexual and gender minority Latinos. Differences regarding sexual orientation have not been fully explored within this group using national representative samples. This study analyzed sexual and behavioral health disparities associated with sexual minority status among Latinos in the U.S.Hepatitis C Antibody Testing in a Commercially Insured Population, 2005–2014
In the U.S., the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and associated sequelae is substantial. HCV prevalence is highest among those born in 1945–1965 (Birth Cohort). Newly diagnosed infections are increasing in younger people concurrent with rising opioid/heroin use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2013) recommend HCV testing for at-risk individuals and one-time testing for the Birth Cohort. This study describes national trends in HCV antibody testing from 2005 to 2014.Assessment of State Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Laws
Identifying pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for post-exposure prophylaxis of their infants is critical to preventing mother-to-child transmission of HBV infection. HBV infection in infancy results in premature death from chronic liver disease or cancer in 25% of affected infants. Universal screening of pregnant women for HBV infection is the standard of care, and in many states is supported by laws for screening and reporting these infections to public health. No recent assessment of state screening and reporting laws for HBV infection has been published.Association of Hepatitis C Virus With Alcohol Use Among U.S. Adults: NHANES 2003–2010
Excessive alcohol use exacerbates morbidity and mortality among hepatitis C virus (HCV)–infected people. The purpose of this study was to describe self-reported patterns of alcohol use and examine the association with HCV infection and other sociodemographic and health-related factors.Meeting the Challenges of Immunizing Adults
The overall burden of illness from diseases for which vaccines are available disproportionately falls on adults. Adults are recommended to receive vaccinations based on their age, underlying medical conditions, lifestyle, prior vaccinations, and other considerations. Updated vaccine recommendations from CDC are published annually in the U.S. Adult Immunization Schedule. Vaccine use among U.S. adults is low. Although receipt of a provider (physician or other vaccinating healthcare provider) recommendation is a key predictor of vaccination, more often consumers report not receiving vaccine recommendations at healthcare provider visits.Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Testing in Cohorts Born Between 1945 and 1965 in the U.S.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common blood-borne pathogen and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality related to liver disease in the U.S.1 There are an estimated 2.7–3.2 million people chronically infected in the U.S., 81% of whom are accounted for by people born between 1945 and 1965 (“baby boomers”).2,3 The majority of infected individuals are unaware of their infections despite the availability of effective treatment.1 In 2012, CDC recommended one-time HCV testing for baby boomers,4 which was endorsed by the U.S.HIV Infection Status as a Predictor of Hepatitis C Virus RNA Testing in Primary Care
Receipt of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA testing following a positive HCV antibody (anti-HCV+) test result to establish current infection is a quality indicator for HCV-related care. This study examines HIV infection status as a predictor of HCV RNA test receipt after an anti-HCV+ result in the primary care setting.Comparison of Hepatitis C Virus Testing Strategies: Birth Cohort Versus Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase Levels
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is unidentified in an estimated 40%–85% of infected adults. Surveillance and modeling data have found significant increases in HCV-associated morbidity and mortality.Beyond the Bisexual Bridge: Sexual Health Among U.S. Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women
Men who have sex with both men and women (MSMW) experience health problems in ways that distinguish them from men who only have sex with men (MSM) and men who only have sex with women (MSW). Historically, an undue focus on MSMW’s potential role in transmitting HIV to women has resulted in limited understanding of these men’s unique sexual health needs. This article discusses the sexual health of MSMW in the U.S.Vaccinations Given During Pregnancy, 2002–2009: A Descriptive Study
A number of studies have described influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy but few publications have described rates of other vaccinations.Using Mass Media and the Internet As Tools to Diagnose Hepatitis C Infections in the General Population
Many individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are undiagnosed.
