Background: CDC guidelines recommend and promote public awareness for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for baby boomers (1945-1965) and individuals who report risk factors such as IDU. These strict guidelines and targeted educated are hindering positive patients who are non- baby boomers without risk factors from entering care due to the lack of education for the general public. The purpose is to determine if there is a difference in willingness to seek medical treatment between baby boomers and non-baby boomers. We believe this difference can be attributed to education being targeted to the baby boomer cohort.
Methods: Jersey City Medical Center tested patients over the age of 18 for Hepatitis C from 1/1/2017 to 9/30/2017. Patients were screened using HCV antibody with reflex to RNA. Patients who were HCV RNA positive were outreached by navigators who provided verbal education on hep c and the availability of treatment. The number of patients who received treatment was recorded. Expired patients and patients that navigators were unable to outreach were excluded from analysis.
Results: 7,799 patients were tested (3,301 baby boomers/ 4,498 non-baby boomers) JCMC identified 234 RNA positive patients (144 baby boomer/ 90 non-baby boomer). Chi square test of independence indicates a statistically significant association (x2=5.8; df=1; p=0. 0163) with baby boomers being more likely to seek out care (n=112; 78%) compared to non-baby boomers (n=57; 63%). Additionally, 70% of non-baby boomers reported no risk factors.
Conclusions: Our testing results indicated a high prevalence of HCV infection in both cohorts however non baby boomers with no risk factors were less likely to seek treatment. The widespread education and screening criteria stemming from the CDC guidelines does not address non-baby boomers without risk factors. Our testing data shows a high volume of patients that should not be at risk for Hep C, according to CDC guidelines, are actually positive with a current infection. These patients are less likely to seek treatment compared to baby boomers or patients with risk factors. Our study suggests that generalizing hepatitis C education in the public domain will increase and improve the linkage rates to treatment for all positive individuals with HCV.