title: [Incidence of hepatitis C in the Silesian voivodeship in the years 1997-2002].
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine the incidence of viral hepatitis type C (HCV) in the general population of Silesian voivodeship (Poland), in the years 1997-2002. Since 1997 HCV is a notifiable disease in Poland, reported by diagnosing physicians to local sanitary-epidemiological centers. Analysis included the total of 875 records collected in 1997-2002 by all sanitary-epidemiological centers in the Voivodeship. In that period the voivodeship annual incidence varied between 2.2/100000 and 2.9/100000. Most of the incidence cases were urban dwellers (82.5%), compared to rural dwellers (17.5%), and the age-structure was dominated by people above 65 years (13.%) as well as young persons aged 20-24 years (9.8%). The results revealed a large county-to-county variation in incidence. This finding could be hardly explained on the ground of available data--there are no major between-county differences in terms of health care quality, provision and availability of health care services, demographic or socio-economic factors in Silesian voivodeship. The likely explanation points to unequal or even questionable functioning of the HCV reporting scheme that--on a voivodeship level--could result in an underestimation of incidence of the disease. This hampers a possibility of specific analyses based on the existing, secondary data and justifies a need for improvement of the register. The necessary action should involve subject-oriented training of all participants of the reporting system, as well as health professionals engaged in diagnosing and treatment of infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Epidemiologii, Katedra Zdrowia Publicznego Wydział Zdrowia Publicznego SAM w Katowicach. epikoma@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kowalska
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Zejda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data