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Hepatitis C infection can sometimes go undetected in patients for a long period of time. Much like cervical changes that eventually lead to cancer, hepatitis C can be discovered before it has progressed and is easier to treat at that early date. Sadly, hepatitis C is one of the leading causes of liver failure in the United States, and often those with the virus have no obvious symptoms for many years at a time. To test the effectiveness and viability of testing programs, researchers from the Emory University School of Medicine examined the applicability of a system to monitor women for hepatitis C as part of their urgent care visits. First, women who came to an urgent care clinic for routine Ob-Gyn care during the time of the study were given a questionnaire to look for any high risk behaviors that might be associated with increased risk of Hepatitis C. These included having a history of hemodialysis, organ transplant, illicit drug use, high risk sexual behaviors, or having a sexually transmitted disease. Women were also given an information booklet with more facts about hepatitis C infections. After they completed the questionnaire, women with risk factors were offered a free blood test for the virus. In total, 99 women were offered the test and ultimately accepted it during the period of the study. These 99 women were selected as high risk out of a total of 125 women who took the initial assessment questionnaire. Somewhat surprisingly, 80% of those questioned had at least one risk factor for hepatitis C. Out of these 99 women, 67% had a history of a being infected with a sexually transmitted disease, while 54% had a history of tattoos or body piercings. None of the patients reported being infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Out of the 99 women who were ultimately tested, only 6 of them (or 6.1%) tested positive for hepatitis C. Researchers identified several factors as likely increasing the risk of participants’ positive test results. Foremost among these was a history of injected drug use, but other factors included having less than a 12th-grade education, living in a location other than an apartment or a house, and a history of sexually transmitted disease. The researchers point out that while their study noted these findings, the population included was small, and therefore the results may not generalize as well to larger population samples. In line with previous studies of hepatitis C infections however, their study showed increased risk to users of injected drugs, as have many previous studies on the topic of hepatitis transmission and illness. They also note that while the overall infection rates of individuals in the United States hover around 1.8%, the infection rate in this particular population was higher. The authors conclude by noting that hepatitis C infection is a worldwide problem that is not limited to the United States. Unfortunately, it can cause more than just bothersome symptoms; at advanced stages it cases cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, or liver failure. Despite the fact that many patients can go for decades with no obvious symptoms, almost all of the liver transplants that occur in the United States happen as a result of infection with hepatitis C. For this reason, then, the authors urge women with risk factors to be tested. Some treatment options are available and can prevent irreversible harm to the liver. Learn more about physician employment opportunities and urgent care jobs at PhysEmp. You can explore more than 25,000 listings, including hospitalist jobs, emergency medicine jobs,and many more. Search, application, and profile are all free.
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urgent care jobs, hospitalist jobs, hepatitis C, physician employment,
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