부산대학교 도서관

AIMS: To assess the awareness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection status in a high-risk population. METHODS: A targeted population survey of clients of methadone maintenance clinics in metropolitan and rural New South Wales, using an interviewer-administered face-to-face questionnaire. Main outcome measures include awareness of HCV status, time elapsed since last tested and childrenʼs HCV status. RESULTS: A total of 329 clients completed the survey, of which 97% perceived to have been tested for HCV in the past. One hundred and seventy (52%) participants considered themselves to be negative for HCV. Of these the median time since last tested was 2 years (2 weeks–25 years). Although 94% of all parents believed that their childʼs HCV status was negative, only 49% of respondents stated that their children had been tested for HCV. Voluntary testing was offered to all clients and their children with only one accepting. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of HCV infection status in this high-risk population is suboptimal. This indicates that existing educational strategies are inadequate and that there is a disconnect between their health needs and the medical care they receive. Novel approaches need to be considered to improve the knowledge of HCV transmission and hopefully improve HCV-associated health outcomes in high-risk populations.