Risk factors for Hepatitis C transmission in the Victorian population: a telephone survey
Author(s)
Watson, R
Crofts, N
Mitchell, C
Aitken, C
Hocking, J
Thompson, S
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
1999
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To measure knowledge and prevalences of risk factors for hepatitis C infection in the Victorian community. METHOD: Telephone survey of 757 Victorian householders aged 15+ years, March 1996. RESULTS: An estimated 2.2% of Victorians have injected illicit drugs; 4.8% have tattoos and 49.6% have skin piercings; 11.4% received a blood transfusion before screening for HCV was introduced; 10.9% have had a test for HCV antibody. A majority of respondents perceived sexual contact and receipt of a transfusion to be risks for HCV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors associated with the spread of HCV are widespread in the ...
View more >OBJECTIVE: To measure knowledge and prevalences of risk factors for hepatitis C infection in the Victorian community. METHOD: Telephone survey of 757 Victorian householders aged 15+ years, March 1996. RESULTS: An estimated 2.2% of Victorians have injected illicit drugs; 4.8% have tattoos and 49.6% have skin piercings; 11.4% received a blood transfusion before screening for HCV was introduced; 10.9% have had a test for HCV antibody. A majority of respondents perceived sexual contact and receipt of a transfusion to be risks for HCV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors associated with the spread of HCV are widespread in the Victorian community; however, the most important risk factor--injecting drug use--has low prevalence. Considerable uncertainty exists about risk factors for hepatitis C. IMPLICATIONS: A very small percentage of Victorians are injecting drug users and therefore at highest risk of hepatitis C infection, therefore transmission control programs can be efficiently focused on this group. The Victorian community needs to be better educated about risk factors for hepatitis C, in particular that transfusions and blood donations are safe.
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View more >OBJECTIVE: To measure knowledge and prevalences of risk factors for hepatitis C infection in the Victorian community. METHOD: Telephone survey of 757 Victorian householders aged 15+ years, March 1996. RESULTS: An estimated 2.2% of Victorians have injected illicit drugs; 4.8% have tattoos and 49.6% have skin piercings; 11.4% received a blood transfusion before screening for HCV was introduced; 10.9% have had a test for HCV antibody. A majority of respondents perceived sexual contact and receipt of a transfusion to be risks for HCV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors associated with the spread of HCV are widespread in the Victorian community; however, the most important risk factor--injecting drug use--has low prevalence. Considerable uncertainty exists about risk factors for hepatitis C. IMPLICATIONS: A very small percentage of Victorians are injecting drug users and therefore at highest risk of hepatitis C infection, therefore transmission control programs can be efficiently focused on this group. The Victorian community needs to be better educated about risk factors for hepatitis C, in particular that transfusions and blood donations are safe.
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Journal Title
Australian New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume
23
Issue
6
Subject
Epidemiology not elsewhere classified
Applied economics
Policy and administration