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Martyn E, O'Regan S, Harris P, Leonard M, Veitch M, Sultan B, Matthews PC, Ghosh I, Story A, Surey J. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening, linkage and retention-in-care in inclusion health populations: Evaluation of an outreach screening programme in London. J Infect 2024; 88:167-172. [PMID: 38159579 PMCID: PMC7615690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We evaluated a hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening programme, delivered by a specialist pan-London multidisciplinary outreach team, to understand population characteristics and care cascade among people who experience extreme social exclusion (Inclusion Health (IH) groups). METHODS Point-of-care HBV screening was performed in temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) and people seeking asylum (initial accommodation centres, IACs) via a mobile unit staffed by peers with lived experience, nurses, and doctors. We analysed demographics and HBV characteristics of adults screened between May 2020 and January 2022. We ascertained linkage-to-care (LTC), retention-in-care (RIC) and loss-to-follow-up (LTFU). People LTFU were contacted by peers to re-engage in care. RESULTS 2473 people were screened: 809 in IACs, 1664 in other temporary accommodation. Overall hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence was 1.7% (43/2473), highest in IACs (3.5%, 28/809). LTC within 3 months was 56% (24/43) and RIC, 87% (26/30). LTC was higher when referred to a local IH-specialist hepatitis service, compared to other services (77%, 17/22 vs 33%, 7/21; p = 0.006). LTFU was 30% (13/43), reduced to 21% (9/43) after intervention by peers. CONCLUSION Our findings support outreach screening among IH populations and peer-supported linkage to IH-specialist hepatitis services. We recommend increased HBV testing and HBV-specific IH specialist services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Martyn
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
| | - Sive O'Regan
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK
| | - Philippa Harris
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK
| | - Mark Leonard
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK
| | - Martha Veitch
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK
| | - Binta Sultan
- Mortimer Market Centre, Central and North London NHS Foundation Trust, Capper Street, London WC1E 6JB, UK; Institute of Global Health, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Philippa C Matthews
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Mortimer Market Centre, Central and North London NHS Foundation Trust, Capper Street, London WC1E 6JB, UK; Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Infectious Diseases, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK
| | - Indrajit Ghosh
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK; Mortimer Market Centre, Central and North London NHS Foundation Trust, Capper Street, London WC1E 6JB, UK
| | - Alistair Story
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK; Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Julian Surey
- Find & Treat Service, Division of Infection, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK; Institute of Global Health, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
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Saseetharran A, Hiebert L, Gupta N, Nyirahabihirwe F, Kamali I, Ward JW. Prevention, testing, and treatment interventions for hepatitis B and C in refugee populations: results of a scoping review. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:866. [PMID: 38071291 PMCID: PMC10709891 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08861-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Refugees are at higher risk for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), but often face unique healthcare barriers to vaccination, testing, and treatment. This scoping review aimed to identify and characterize HBV and HCV prevention and care services serving refugee populations globally. METHODS A literature search was conducted on Embase, Cochrane, and PubMed databases. Research studies published in English between January 2010 to July 2022 describing an HBV or HCV prevention, testing, or treatment intervention for refugees were included. RESULTS There were a total of 69 articles reporting viral hepatitis prevalence, implementation of services, or economic modelling. Of the 38 implementation studies, 14 were stand-alone HBV and/or HCV interventions, while 24 studies included HBV and/or HCV in an intervention targeting multiple infectious diseases and/or parasitic infections. Interventions commonly included a testing (n = 30) or referral (n = 24) component. Frequently reported features to promote program accessibility included bilingual services (n = 25), community partnerships (n = 21), and multidisciplinary staff members (n = 18), such as cultural and/or linguistic mediators, community health workers, community health leaders, lay health workers, local health staff, members of the refugee community, and social workers. The most commonly reported challenge was the transience of refugees (n = 5). Twenty studies noted funding sources, of which twelve reported governmental funding (not including national health insurance) and eight reported that refugees received national health insurance. CONCLUSIONS This is the first scoping review to characterize the types of hepatitis prevention, screening, and treatment interventions serving refugee populations globally. Published experiences of HBV and HCV services for refugee populations remain limited. Additional efforts are needed to disseminate models of hepatitis interventions for refugees to ensure access to care for this key population. To achieve hepatitis elimination globally, best practices must be identified and shared to expand access to hepatitis services for refugee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankeeta Saseetharran
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, 330 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, USA.
| | - Lindsey Hiebert
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, 330 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
| | - Neil Gupta
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, 330 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
| | | | | | - John W Ward
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, 330 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
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Chen PH, Han SH, Bhattacharya D, Patel A. Leveraging a community-based participatory approach to improve linkage to care for HBV. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2023; 21:117-121. [PMID: 37197221 PMCID: PMC10184990 DOI: 10.1097/cld.0000000000000032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Phillip H. Chen
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Steven-Huy Han
- Pfleger Liver Institute, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Debika Bhattacharya
- Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Arpan Patel
- Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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