Screening for hepatitis C virus in the Dartmoor prison population: An observational study

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Abstract

Background: Prisons are a potential setting for hepatitis C screening. This study describes prisoner flows through such screening for all prisoners entering Dartmoor prison between 1 January 1998 and 30 June 2001. Methods: We identified numbers at each step of the screening pathway, from screening to result, referral, biopsy and outcome. We describe the proportions of those screened who were seropositive; seropositives who were confirmed virus-positive; virus-positive cases attending for biopsy; and virus-positive cases eligible for treatment. Results: Of 3034 entries into Dartmoor, 12 per cent were screened, with 16 per cent of these seropositive. Seventy-nine per cent of seropositive prisoners with a polymerase chain reaction result were confirmed virus-positive, and 27 per cent of these prisoners had a biopsy. Two prisoners were eligible for treatment. Conclusions: Screening uptake is low. Attrition rates are high, especially at the referral interface between the prison and specialist care. Finally, the yield of individuals eligible for treatment is low, at 7/1000 tested.

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Horne, J. A., Clements, A. J., Drennan, P., Stein, K., & Cramp, M. E. (2004). Screening for hepatitis C virus in the Dartmoor prison population: An observational study. Journal of Public Health, 26(4), 372–375. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdh174

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