Evaluation of the notification of hepatitis C risk to children who received unscreened blood or blood products.
Parents of children who received blood or blood products between 1984 and 1990 were notified about the potential risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Data were collected about knowledge, attitudes and intended behaviours to determine the acceptability of the notification process. Demographic variables that may predict responses to notification were also recorded and analysed. Recipients were sent couriered letters explaining HCV risk, and the survey questionnaire. Sera were screened for HCV antibody and reactive samples confirmed with a recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Four letter recipients were RIBA positive for a prevalence of 1.1% (4/358) in the notification group. Thirty-two percent of respondents did not know their child had been transfused and 58% did not know about the potential risk of HCV infection. Although 90% (165/185) felt the notification was valuable, 65% reported emotional distress (fear, worry, anger, very depressed). Responders were similar to non-responders except for HCV testing rate (76.2% v. 59.8%, p < 0.0002). Parents of children at risk of transfusion-acquired HCV virus approved of notification programs, but experienced some emotional distress. Awareness of transfusion history or risk of HCV was not universal, indicating the need to address notification to individuals, rather than through public education campaigns alone.
Clinical Trials Research Centre-Infectious Diseases, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. joanne.langley@dal.ca
J M
JM
Langley
S G
SG
Squires
D M
DM
MacDonald
D
D
Anderson
K
K
Peltekian
J W
JW
Scott
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D018563:Disease Notification; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010290:Parents; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014342:Truth Disclosure