Hepatitis B and C among veterans on a psychiatric ward.
Hepatitis B and C are public health problems. Psychiatric patients may be at risk of hepatitis B and C exposure due to lifestyle and inadequate health care. We aimed to determine prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus exposure and associated risk factors in acutely hospitalized psychiatric veterans. A total of 234 individuals consecutively admitted to the psychiatric wards at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Hospital were asked to participate. A total of 129 patients consented and were screened for viral hepatitis risk factors, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface and core antibodies, and hepatitis C antibodies. About 31 and 38% of the patients had been exposed to hepatitis B and C viruses, respectively. Several risk factors were associated with exposure. Inpatient psychiatric veterans seem to have increased rates of hepatitis B and C exposure. This highlights the need for prevention of risk behavior in this vulnerable population.
Tabibian
James H
JH
Department of Psychiatry, West Los Angeles Veteran's Affair's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, 1440 Veteran Ave. #601, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. jhtabib@ucla.edu
Wirshing
Donna A
DA
Pierre
Joseph M
JM
Guzik
Lisa H
LH
Kisicki
Michael D
MD
Danovitch
Itai
I
Mena
Shirley J
SJ
Wirshing
William C
WC
D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014728:Veterans