Hepatitis C Virus Testing of U.S. Youths

Screening of 13- to 21-year-olds may be suboptimal.

Incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is rising in the U.S., especially among adolescents and young adults, including those who inject drugs.

To examine HCV testing of U.S. youths, investigators conducted a retrospective study involving 269,124 individuals (aged 13 to 21 years) who, between 2012 and 2017, visited one of 57 federally qualified health centers that provide care to underserved communities. The researchers reviewed patient characteristics, including demographic data, substance-use diagnoses (using ICD-9/10 codes), medication lists, and lab test results. Use of illicit drugs (opioids, amphetamine, or cocaine) was considered a proxy for HCV risk.

Among all patients, 2.5% underwent HCV testing, and, of these, 1.8% were found…

Reviewing Author

Hana M. El Sahly, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Hana M. El Sahly, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Hepatitis C Virus Testing of U.S. Youths

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Reviewing Author