IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aph/ajpbhl/10.2105-ajph.2013.301549_2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Previous exposure to HCV among persons born during 1945-1965: Prevalence and predictors, United States, 1999-2008

Author

Listed:
  • Smith, B.D.
  • Beckett, G.A.
  • Yartel, A.
  • Holtzman, D.
  • Patel, N.
  • Ward, J.W.

Abstract

Objectives. We examined HCV exposure prevalence and predictors among persons in the United States born during 1945-1965. Methods. With data from the 1999-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we calculated the proportion of persons born during 1945-1965 who tested positive for HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and analyzed the prevalence by sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors. Results. Anti-HCV prevalence in the 1945-1965 birth cohort was 3.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.8%, 3.8%), substantially higher than among other adults (0.9%). Within the cohort, anti-HCV prevalence was higher among non- Hispanic Blacks (6.4%; 95% CI = 5.3%, 7.7%), persons with injection drug use histories (56.8%; 95% CI = 48.4%, 64.8%), and persons with elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (12.7%; 95% CI = 10.7%, 15.1%). Injection drug use (adjusted odds ratio = 98.4; 95% CI = 58.8, 164.5) was the strongest anti-HCV prevalence predictor. Among anti-HCV-positive persons, 57.8% reported having 2 or more alcoholic drinks daily. Conclusions. With the high prevalence of HCV among persons born during 1945-1965, the increasing morbidity and mortality associated with HCV, and reductions in liver cancer and HCV-related mortality when HCV is eradicated, it is critically important to identify persons with HCV and link them to appropriate care.

Suggested Citation

  • Smith, B.D. & Beckett, G.A. & Yartel, A. & Holtzman, D. & Patel, N. & Ward, J.W., 2014. "Previous exposure to HCV among persons born during 1945-1965: Prevalence and predictors, United States, 1999-2008," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(3), pages 474-481.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301549_2
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301549
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301549
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301549?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301549_2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Christopher F Baum (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.apha.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.