BACKGROUND: Nearly 4 million individuals in the United States (1.8%) have been infected with hepatitis C virus, yet few are aware of their infection. GOAL: To identify correlates associated with hepatitis C virus testing among a sample of men who have sex with men. STUDY DESIGN: Internet communications were used for solicitation and collection of data, using a 31-question survey. RESULTS: When the study was restricted to men who have sex with men in the United States (n = 381), 95% of the respondents (n = 361) reported at least one risk factor for hepatitis C virus transmission, 39% of these respondents (n = 140) reported having been tested for hepatitis C virus. Testing was associated with a history of nonsexual risk behavior, increased knowledge of the hepatitis C virus, and healthcare provider communication. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of at-risk respondents had not been tested. Interventions are needed to increase hepatitis C virus knowledge in the community of men who have sex with men, and to encourage providers to communicate about hepatitis to the men in this group who screen as high risk on the basis of their risk behaviors.
BACKGROUND: Nearly 4 million individuals in the United States (1.8%) have been infected with hepatitis C virus, yet few are aware of their infection. GOAL: To identify correlates associated with hepatitis C virus testing among a sample of men who have sex with men. STUDY DESIGN: Internet communications were used for solicitation and collection of data, using a 31-question survey. RESULTS: When the study was restricted to men who have sex with men in the United States (n = 381), 95% of the respondents (n = 361) reported at least one risk factor for hepatitis C virus transmission, 39% of these respondents (n = 140) reported having been tested for hepatitis C virus. Testing was associated with a history of nonsexual risk behavior, increased knowledge of the hepatitis C virus, and healthcare provider communication. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of at-risk respondents had not been tested. Interventions are needed to increase hepatitis C virus knowledge in the community of men who have sex with men, and to encourage providers to communicate about hepatitis to the men in this group who screen as high risk on the basis of their risk behaviors.
Authors: Scott D Rhodes; Thomas P McCoy; Aaron T Vissman; Ralph J DiClemente; Stacy Duck; Kenneth C Hergenrather; Kristie Long Foley; Jorge Alonzo; Fred R Bloom; Eugenia Eng Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2011-11
Authors: Thomas Fitzpatrick; Kali Zhou; Yu Cheng; Po-Lin Chan; Fuqiang Cui; Weiming Tang; Katie R Mollan; Wilson Guo; Joseph D Tucker Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2018-09-29 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Nancy A Dreyer; Stella Cf Blackburn; Shahrul Mt-Isa; Jonathan L Richardson; Simon Thomas; Maja Laursen; Priscilla Zetstra-van der Woude; Anna Jamry-Dziurla; Valerie Hliva; Alison Bourke; Lolkje de Jong-van den Berg Journal: JMIR Public Health Surveill Date: 2015-12-22