Abstract
OBJECTIVES:This study explored the demographic characteristics of hepatitis C patients in the Kota Setar (KS) district, Kedah, Malaysia, the prevalence of intravenous drug use (IVDU) as a risk factor among these patients, and the associations between IVDU and demographic characteristics.METHODS:Retrospective data pertaining to 713 patients from January 2009 to December 2013 were retrieved from hospital and disease notification records for analysis. The risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were grouped into IVDU and non-IVDU risk factors for analysis using multiple logistic regression.RESULTS:Of the hepatitis C patients included in this study, the most common age group was 31 to 40 years (30.2%), and male patients (91.2%) made up the overwhelming majority. Ethnic Malays constituted approximately 80.4% of the patients, and IVDU was the main risk factor (77.8%) for HCV infection. Multiple logistic regression showed that male patients were 59 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection. Single patients were 2.5 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor. Patients aged ≥71 years were much less likely than patients aged ≤30 years to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection.CONCLUSIONS:IVDU was found to be an important risk factor for HCV infection among patients in the KS district. The factors associated with IVDU included age, sex, and marital status. Appropriate preventive measures should be developed to target the groups in which IVDU is most likely to be a risk factor for HCV infection.
Highlights
Hepatitis C is a major global health problem and a potential cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in the future
This study was motivated by the lack of local data, and focused primarily on the demographic data, risk factors, and complications of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients in the Kota Setar (KS) district, Kedah, Malaysia.We aimed to study the demographic characteristics of hepatitis C patients, and to explore the associations of demographic characteristics and intravenous drug use (IVDU) with HCV infection
All of the 713 HCV-infected patients were diagnosed via apositive anti-HCV screening test that was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbenct assay (ELISA).The secondary data gathered included demographic characteristics, risk factors, and data pertaining to clinical care
Summary
Hepatitis C is a major global health problem and a potential cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in the future. In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that approximately 150 million people, comprising approximately 3% of the world’s population, are chronically infected with. The WHO reported that more than 350,000 people die annually from hepatitis C-related liver disease [1]. HCV can cause both acute and chronic liver disease, with eventual complications that include liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV is most frequently spread through direct contact with infectious blood. In frequently, it may be transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected person or sharing personal items contaminated with HCV [1]. Risk factors include transfusion of blood and blood products, transplantation of solid organs from infected donors, intravenous drug use (IVDU), hemodialysis, occupational expo-
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