Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among patients receiving health care in a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital.
A cross-sectional, seroepidemiological study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among veterans receiving health care from the VA. Among 274 evaluated outpatients, anti-HCV was found in 27 (9.9%). The prevalence of anti-HCV was 3.7% among 190 individuals who reported no illicit drug use compared to 24.7% among 81 subjects who had used drugs (P < 0.001). The prevalence of anti-HCV was 4.8% among 208 veterans who had never been incarcerated compared to 27.9% among 61 veterans who had been incarcerated (P < 0.001). A multivariate model found the following factors to be independently associated with anti-HCV; having used illicit drugs [odds ratio (OR) = 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-11.8; P = 0.001), having been incarcerated (OR = 4.4, 95% CI 1.7-10.9; P = 0.001), and a yearly income less than 10,000 US dollars (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.3-9.4; P = 0.002). Because HCV infection was most strongly associated with illicit drug use, incarceration, and low income, these risk factors should be utilized to develop screening strategies among VA patients.
University of Florida and Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Girish
G
Mishra
C
C
Sninsky
Robert
R
Roswell
S
S
Fitzwilliam
Kenneth C
KC
Hyams
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D013287:Illicit Drugs