Hepatitis B and C Among HCH Program Patients

This study, funded by the Bureau of Primary Health Care, was developed and conducted in collaboration with principal investigators Lillian Gelberg, MD, MSPH from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine and Marjorie Robertson, PhD from the Public Health Institute in Berkeley, CA. Using a variety of methods, including client surveys, blood samples, and surveys of medical providers, the study aimed to:

• estimate the prevalence of lifetime hepatitis C infection among homeless adult patients, within selected subgroups, and by transmission categories (e.g., history of intravenous drug use, risky sexual behavior, or transfusion prior to 1990);

• identify factors that predict hepatitis C infection among homeless adult patients and estimate the effect of these factors in our population;

• assess homeless-adult patients’ knowledge and attitudes regarding hepatitis C;

• describe health-service utilization specific to hepatitis C;

• estimate the rate of co-morbidity of hepatitis C and hepatitis B infections; and,

• assess HCH medical providers’ practices regarding screening and treatment of their homeless patients for hepatitis B and C.