Lai Wei1, Jie Li2, Xizhong Yang3, Guiqiang Wang4, Bo Feng1, Jinlin Hou5, Zhongping Duan6, Jidong Jia7, Hong Ren8, Junqi Niu9, Xinyue Chen6, Fu-Sheng Wang10, Jia Shang11, Qingyan Bo12, Runqin Li12, Yang Liu13, Hui Zhuang2. 1. Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute. 2. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center. 3. Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control. 4. Peking University First Hospital. 5. Southern Medical University Nanfang Hospital. 6. Beijing You'An Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University. 7. Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University. 8. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. 9. The First Hospital of Jilin University. 10. Beijing 302 Hospital. 11. Henan Province People's Hospital. 12. Bristol-Myers Squibb. 13. IMS Health China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the leading cause of liver diseases including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In China, it is a major national health problem that demands nationwide coordinated emphasis on prevention and treatment. To inform these initiatives, a nationwide survey was conducted from January to April 2015 to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and perceived obstacles to HCV care. METHODS: A sample of 1000 HCV specialists across mainland China were recruited. Respondents were asked a series of 30 open-ended single or multiple response and Likert-scale questions about their HCV treatment knowledge, experience, assessment of HCV care status in China, and perceptions about treatment barriers. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the respondents answered incorrectly to more than half of the questions on basic HCV treatment principles. Over half of them incorrectly believed that maintenance therapy should be prescribed for non-responders (72%) and longer treatment duration improved sustained viral response rates (62%), regardless of HCV RNA level changes. Sixty-six percent of them believed that HCV treatment would still be interferon-based therapy in the next 5 years in China. Patient-related barriers, in particular lack of disease awareness, were considered to be the most significant barriers to HCV care. Payer and medical-provider barriers included affordability issues, lack of reimbursement coverage for testing and treatments, and lack of referral to HCV specialists. CONCLUSIONS: Focused and intense patient and provider education should be carried out to increase awareness. More effective direct-acting antivirals should be made available and affordable in China.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the leading cause of liver diseases including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In China, it is a major national health problem that demands nationwide coordinated emphasis on prevention and treatment. To inform these initiatives, a nationwide survey was conducted from January to April 2015 to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and perceived obstacles to HCV care. METHODS: A sample of 1000 HCV specialists across mainland China were recruited. Respondents were asked a series of 30 open-ended single or multiple response and Likert-scale questions about their HCV treatment knowledge, experience, assessment of HCV care status in China, and perceptions about treatment barriers. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the respondents answered incorrectly to more than half of the questions on basic HCV treatment principles. Over half of them incorrectly believed that maintenance therapy should be prescribed for non-responders (72%) and longer treatment duration improved sustained viral response rates (62%), regardless of HCV RNA level changes. Sixty-six percent of them believed that HCV treatment would still be interferon-based therapy in the next 5 years in China. Patient-related barriers, in particular lack of disease awareness, were considered to be the most significant barriers to HCV care. Payer and medical-provider barriers included affordability issues, lack of reimbursement coverage for testing and treatments, and lack of referral to HCV specialists. CONCLUSIONS: Focused and intense patient and provider education should be carried out to increase awareness. More effective direct-acting antivirals should be made available and affordable in China.
Authors: Mustafa Zanyar Akkuzu; Orhan Sezgin; Serkan Yaraş; Osman Özdoğan; İbrahim Yılmaz; Enver Üçbilek; Fehmi Ateş; Engin Altıntaş Journal: Sisli Etfal Hastan Tip Bul Date: 2019-11-22