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Picchio CA, Nomah DK, Rando-Segura A, Buti M, Lens S, Forns X, Tajes SR, Fernández E, Pamplona Portero J, Nuñez CL, van Selm L, MacKinnon M, Araujo SG, Martró E, Rodríguez-Frías F, Lazarus JV. Community-based screening enhances hepatitis B virus linkage to care among West African migrants in Spain. Commun Med (Lond) 2023; 3:182. [PMID: 38097770 PMCID: PMC10721926 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00420-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic infection with HBV is responsible for >50% of all hepatocellular cancer cases globally and disproportionately affects sub-Saharan African (sSA) countries. Migration from these countries to Europe has increased substantially in recent years, posing unique challenges to health systems. The aim of this study was to carry out a community-based intervention to increase HBV screening, vaccination, and linkage to care among sSA migrants in Catalonia, Spain. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study. Participants ≥18 years were offered community-based HBV screening between 20/11/20 and 21/01/22. Rapid HBV testing and blood sample collection utilizing plasma separation cards were carried out and linkage to care was offered to all participants. HBV vaccination and post-test counseling were performed at a second visit in the community. The main outcome was the odds of those with current HBV infection being successfully linked to hepatology. Rates of completing the care cascade of this model were analyzed. RESULTS In the present study, 444 people undergo screening, with 50.6% of participants showing evidence of past or current HBV infection, including an HBsAg prevalence of 9.2%. Migrants with current HBV infection exhibit 5.2 times higher odds of successful linkage to care compared to those in need of post-test counseling or vaccination. The study achieves a successful linkage to care rate of 72% for all participants, with specialist appointments arranged within 15.5 days. CONCLUSIONS This community-based HBV screening program provides evidence of a successful model for identifying and providing care, including vaccination, to west African migrants at high risk of HBV infection who may otherwise not engage in care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila A Picchio
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Daniel K Nomah
- Center for Epidemiological Studies on Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS in Catalonia (CEEISCAT), Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Rando-Segura
- Microbiology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Buti
- CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital Campus, Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sabela Lens
- CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Forns
- CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Rodriguez Tajes
- CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emma Fernández
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Lena van Selm
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina MacKinnon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia G Araujo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Martró
- Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord (LCMN), Hospital Universitario Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Rodríguez-Frías
- Liver Pathology Unit, Biochemistry and Microbiology Service, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), New York, NY, USA
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