OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among women seeking urgent gynecological care. METHODS: Women were asked to complete a short self-assessment screening of HCV risk. Those answering yes to any of the screening questions were offered HCV testing and were asked to complete a more detailed questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the 125 women who completed the screening questionnaire, 80% (100) answered yes to one or more of the screening questions. Of the 99 women who underwent testing, six (6.1%) were HCV seropositive; a history of injection drug use was the only finding associated with HCV seropositivity (R.R 9.7: 95% CI 1.90-49.40). CONCLUSIONS: Women seeking urgent outpatient gynecological care, particularly those who are injection drug users, are at a substantial risk of HCV infection. A careful risk assessment should be completed in order to identify women who should be offered HCV testing.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among women seeking urgent gynecological care. METHODS:Women were asked to complete a short self-assessment screening of HCV risk. Those answering yes to any of the screening questions were offered HCV testing and were asked to complete a more detailed questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the 125 women who completed the screening questionnaire, 80% (100) answered yes to one or more of the screening questions. Of the 99 women who underwent testing, six (6.1%) were HCV seropositive; a history of injection drug use was the only finding associated with HCV seropositivity (R.R 9.7: 95% CI 1.90-49.40). CONCLUSIONS:Women seeking urgent outpatient gynecological care, particularly those who are injection drug users, are at a substantial risk of HCV infection. A careful risk assessment should be completed in order to identify women who should be offered HCV testing.
Authors: M J Alter; D Kruszon-Moran; O V Nainan; G M McQuillan; F Gao; L A Moyer; R A Kaslow; H S Margolis Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1999-08-19 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Kimberly A Page-Shafer; Barbara Cahoon-Young; Jeffrey D Klausner; Scott Morrow; Fred Molitor; Juan Ruiz; Willi McFarland Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2002-04 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: M J Alter; R J Gerety; L A Smallwood; R E Sampliner; E Tabor; F Deinhardt; G Frösner; G M Matanoski Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 1982-06 Impact factor: 5.226