Naslov
Hepatitis C virus antibody status, sociodemographic characteristics, and risk behaviours among injecting drug users in Croatia

Autori
Vilibić-Čavlek, Tatjana ; Marić, Jelena ; Katičić, Ljiljana ; Kolarić, Branko

Izvornik
Central European journal of public health (1210-7778) 19 (2011), 1; 26-29

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
hepatitis C; IDU; seroprevalence; risk factors

Sažetak
The study was conducted among 76 injecting drug users (IDU) from seven Croatian cities during a three-year period (2005–2007). Each participant completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics and potential risk factors for hepatitis C virurs (HCV) infection followed by anti-HCV and anti-HIV antibody testing. The mean patient age was 30. The majority of patients (69.8%) reported more than one potential exposure to HCV: 97.1% had shared injecting equipment, 75% reported risk sexual behaviour, and 56.3% reported a history of travelling abroad. The overall HCV seroprevalence was 51.3% (95% CI=40–63%). HCV seroprevalence increased with increasing number of risk behaviours (p=0.026). Needle sharing frequency was the most important risk factor for hepatitis C. The HCV seroprevalence rate ranged from 27.3% in IDUs who answered that they shared needles occasionally to 100% in IDUs who always shared needles (p<0.001). No other risk factors (age, gender, educational level, marital and employment status, history of travelling abroad and sexual risk behaviour) were associated with HCV seropositivity.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

POVEZANOST RADA