Does the race or gender of hepatitis C infected patients influence physicians' assessment of hepatitis A and hepatitis B serologic status?
BACKGROUND
HCV infection with concurrent or superinfection with HAV or HBV has the potential to worsen the liver status of HCV-infected individuals. This study evaluates if patients' race or gender influenced whether HAV or HBV serologic status was determined for the purpose of providing immunization.


METHODS
Medical records of consecutive African-American and white patients referred for management of HCV were evaluated to determine whether the referring physicians had obtained HAV and HBV serology.


RESULTS
Race and gender analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) in HAV testing of African-American and white patients, a statistically significant difference in HAV (P < 0.0001) and HBV (P < 0.0001) testing of African-American and white men, and a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0026) in HBV testing of African-American and white women.


CONCLUSIONS
HCV-infected individuals were inconsistently tested for HAV and HBV. Patients' race, but not gender, had a significant impact upon whether HCV-infected individuals were tested for HAV and HBV.
Ramsay
David B
DB
Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA. dramsay@gwu.edu
Friedman
Mark
M
Borum
Marie L
ML
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People