Awareness and knowledge of hepatitis C among health care providers and the public: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: The Global Viral Hepatitis Strategy aims to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be difficult to detect as infection can remain asymptomatic for decades. Individuals are often neither offered nor seek testing until symptoms develop. This highlights the importance of increasing awareness and knowledge among health care providers and the public to reach the viral hepatitis goals. Objectives: To conduct a scoping review to characterize current awareness and knowledge among health care providers and the public regarding HCV infection, transmission, prevention and treatment and to identify knowledge gaps that public health action could address. Methods: A literature search was conducted using Embase, Medline and Scopus to find studies published between January 2012 and July 2017. A search for grey literature was also undertaken. The following data were extracted: author, year of publication, study design, population, setting, country, method of data collection, and knowledge and awareness outcomes. Commentaries, letters to the editor and narrative reviews were excluded. Results: Nineteen studies were included in this review. The definition of awareness and knowledge varied across studies; at times, these terms were used interchangeably. Health care providers identified injection drug use or blood transfusions as routes of HCV transmission more frequently than other routes of transmission such as tattooing with unsterile equipment and sexual transmission. Among the general public, misconceptions about HCV included believing that kissing and casual contact were routes of HCV transmission and that a vaccine to prevent HCV was available. Overall, there was a lack of data on other high-risk populations (e.g., Indigenous, incarcerated). Conclusion: Continued public and professional education campaigns about HCV could help support HCV risk-based screening and testing. Future research could assess the awareness of other populations at increased risk and include consistent definitions of awareness and knowledge.

Questionnaire survey on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour towards viral hepatitis among the Hong Kong public

“…3,6,14,19,20 A recent study in Nigeria showed a relationship between HBV vaccination and knowledge about viral hepatitis, 17 suggesting an unmet need to improve knowledge about HBV to increase HBV vaccination uptake, particularly in older adults. Moreover, in this study, we observed a general local misperception that a vaccine is available for HCV, which has been similarly observed globally, 18,21 although we observed a slightly higher local awareness rate (19.0%) than that in Singapore (15.0%). 18 This lack of awareness pertaining to HCV might impede the adoption of correct preventive measures against hepatitis C infection.…”

Public awareness and knowledge of liver health and diseases in Singapore

“…40,41 Like HBV, HCV is also a blood-borne disease; however, there is currently no available vaccine to prevent HCV, which remains a common misperception globally. 42 Instead, the recent development of oral DAA treatment regimens for HCV resulted in a successful initial cure rate of up to 99% with minimal side effects, prompting a step closer towards WHO's viral HCV eradication goal. 43,44 Although HCV prevalence in Singapore is estimated to be 300 times lower than HBV, 7 the inadequate knowledge and awareness of HCV transmission risks could inadvertently impede measures taken to reduce transmission or undertake treatment within the community, 45 especially among high-risk groups such as persons who inject drugs.…”

Hepatitis C virus: Testing rate and attrition at linkage to specialized care, Catalonia, Spain 2011‐2016

“…Even after learning about a history of drug abuse or other risk factors, only about 80% of PCP order tests for HCV infection 12 . This could be explained by PCP having poor knowledge about hepatitis C transmission, epidemiology and associated risk factors, which have been described in other studies, along with time constraints and lack of comfort discussing HCV 18,19 . Research indicates that offering PCP training on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of HCV infection would increase HCV testing and would be cost‐effective 20 …”

“…12 This could be explained by PCP having poor knowledge about hepatitis C transmission, epidemiology and associated risk factors, which have been described in other studies, along with time constraints and lack of comfort discussing HCV. 18,19 Research indicates that offering PCP training on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of HCV infection would increase HCV testing and would be cost-effective. 20 At 0.67 [CI: 95%, 0.65-0.70], the seroprevalence of HCV infection in 2016 was consistent with the estimated prevalence of 0.85% (CI: 95%, 0.64-1.08) for Spain, 4 but lower than those reported in other studies.…”