An Analysis of Social Determinants of Health and Their Implications for Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs: The Case of Baltimore.

Background: Sixty-eight percent of the nearly 3.5 million people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States are people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite effective treatments, uptake remains low in PWID. We examined the social determinants of health (SDoH) that affect the HCV care cascade. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 720 PWID in a cluster-randomized trial. We recruited PWID from 12 drug-affected areas in Baltimore. Inclusion criteria were injection in the prior month or needle sharing in the past 6 months. Intake data consisted of a survey and HCV testing. Focusing on SDoH, we analyzed self-report of (1) awareness of HCV infection (in those with active or previously cured HCV) and (2) prior HCV treatment (in the aware subgroup). We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression for statistical analyses. Results: The 342 participants were majority male and Black with a median age of 52 years. Women were more likely to be aware of their status but less likely to be treated. Having a primary care provider and HIV-positive status were associated with increased awareness and treatment. Unhoused people had 51% lower odds of HCV treatment. People who reported that other PWID had shared their HCV status with them had 2.3-fold higher odds of awareness of their own status. Conclusions: Further study of gender disparities in HCV treatment access is needed. Increased social support was associated with higher odds of HCV treatment, suggesting an area for future interventions. Strategies to identify and address SDoH are needed to end HCV.

Estimating the health effects of COVID-19-related immunisation disruptions in 112 countries during 2020-30: a modelling study.

BACKGROUND: There have been declines in global immunisation coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery has begun but is geographically variable. This disruption has led to under-immunised cohorts and interrupted progress in reducing vaccine-preventable disease burden. There have, so far, been few studies of the effects of coverage disruption on vaccine effects. We aimed to quantify the effects of vaccine-coverage disruption on routine and campaign immunisation services, identify cohorts and regions that could particularly benefit from catch-up activities, and establish if losses in effect could be recovered. METHODS: For this modelling study, we used modelling groups from the Vaccine Impact Modelling Consortium from 112 low-income and middle-income countries to estimate vaccine effect for 14 pathogens. One set of modelling estimates used vaccine-coverage data from 1937 to 2021 for a subset of vaccine-preventable, outbreak-prone or priority diseases (ie, measles, rubella, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus [HPV], meningitis A, and yellow fever) to examine mitigation measures, hereafter referred to as recovery runs. The second set of estimates were conducted with vaccine-coverage data from 1937 to 2020, used to calculate effect ratios (ie, the burden averted per dose) for all 14 included vaccines and diseases, hereafter referred to as full runs. Both runs were modelled from Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2100. Countries were included if they were in the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance portfolio; had notable burden; or had notable strategic vaccination activities. These countries represented the majority of global vaccine-preventable disease burden. Vaccine coverage was informed by historical estimates from WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage and the immunisation repository of WHO for data up to and including 2021. From 2022 onwards, we estimated coverage on the basis of guidance about campaign frequency, non-linear assumptions about the recovery of routine immunisation to pre-disruption magnitude, and 2030 endpoints informed by the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030 aims and expert consultation. We examined three main scenarios: no disruption, baseline recovery, and baseline recovery and catch-up. FINDINGS: We estimated that disruption to measles, rubella, HPV, hepatitis B, meningitis A, and yellow fever vaccination could lead to 49 119 additional deaths (95% credible interval [CrI] 17 248-134 941) during calendar years 2020-30, largely due to measles. For years of vaccination 2020-30 for all 14 pathogens, disruption could lead to a 2·66% (95% CrI 2·52-2·81) reduction in long-term effect from 37 378 194 deaths averted (34 450 249-40 241 202) to 36 410 559 deaths averted (33 515 397-39 241 799). We estimated that catch-up activities could avert 78·9% (40·4-151·4) of excess deaths between calendar years 2023 and 2030 (ie, 18 900 [7037-60 223] of 25 356 [9859-75 073]). INTERPRETATION: Our results highlight the importance of the timing of catch-up activities, considering estimated burden to improve vaccine coverage in affected cohorts. We estimated that mitigation measures for measles and yellow fever were particularly effective at reducing excess burden in the short term. Additionally, the high long-term effect of HPV vaccine as an important cervical-cancer prevention tool warrants continued immunisation efforts after disruption. FUNDING: The Vaccine Impact Modelling Consortium, funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. TRANSLATIONS: For the Arabic, Chinese, French, Portguese and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

How to address vaccine hesitancy? Lessons from National Hepatitis B Immunization Program in China.

China, with the severe burden of hepatitis B, plays a significant role in the global efforts towards eliminating hepatitis B disease by 2030. Vaccination is recognized as the most effective measure to prevent infectious diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity across diverse populations. To address this issue, the health ministries and public health authorities in China have implemented various measures to encourage hepatitis B vaccination. China's National Hepatitis B Immunization Program, initiated in 1985, has been successful in controlling this vaccine-preventable disease. Given the challenges in eliminating hepatitis B, strengthening the National Hepatitis Immunization Program in China is of utmost importance. Through an analysis of policy documents, reports, and scientific papers, the history of the program was summarized, and effective approaches to address vaccine hesitancy were identified. This will help achieve universal health coverage of vaccines and effectively work towards meeting the goals set for 2030.

Combined "Test and Treat" Campaigns for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C: A Systematic Review to Provide Evidence to Support World Health Organization Treatment Guidelines.

Background: Worldwide, more than 39 million individuals are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 296 million with chronic hepatitis B (HBV), and 58 million with chronic hepatitis C (HCV). Despite successful treatments for these blood-borne viruses (BBVs), >1.7 million people die per annum. To combat this, the World Health Organization recommended implementing triple testing for HIV, HBV, and HCV. This systematic review aims to provide evidence for this policy, by identifying the prevalence of these BBVs and discussing the costs of available triple tests. Methods: Medline, Embase, and Global Health were searched to identify articles published between 1 January and 24 February 2023. Included studies reported the prevalence of HIV (anti-HIV 1/2 antibodies), HBV (hepatitis B surface antigen) and HCV (anti-HCV antibodies). Results were stratified into risk groups: blood donors, general population, healthcare attendees, individuals experiencing homelessness, men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, pregnant people, prisoners, and refugees and immigrants. Results: One hundred seventy-five studies sampling >14 million individuals were included. The mean prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV was 0.22% (standard deviation [SD], 7.71%), 1.09% (SD, 5.80%) and 0.65% (SD, 14.64%) respectively. The mean number of individuals testing positive for at least 1 BBV was 1.90% (SD, 16.82%). Therefore, under triple testing, for every individual diagnosed with HIV, another 5 would be diagnosed with HBV and 3 with HCV. Testing for all 3 viruses is available for US$2.48, marginally more expensive than the lowest-priced isolated HIV test ($1.00). Conclusions: This article highlights a potential avenue for healthcare improvement by implementing combination testing programs. Hopefully, this will help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of elimination of these BBV epidemics by 2030.

Challenges for hepatitis B control in Asia-Pacific areas: Consolidating vaccination and rolling-out antiviral therapies.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) was, and still is, a prevalent liver disease in the world, especially high in the Asia-Pacific areas. With the advent of preventive vaccines and effective viral suppression drugs and active implementations, CHB has gradually become under control. The world-wide prevalence reduces from 4.2% in 1980 to 3.2% in 2020 study. CHB patients receiving long-term antiviral therapies significantly improve the clinical outcomes, saving from end-stage liver diseases. Despite of these impressive progresses, to meet the WHO sustained development goals (SDG) for CHB control, a 90% reduction of incidence and a 65% reduction of mortality in year 2030, there is still a long way to go. In this review, four ongoing approaches have been proposed: (i) A continuous monitoring of long-term vaccine efficacy in vaccinated populations; (ii) consolidating the hepatitis B virus vaccination program against vaccine hesitancy and limited resources; (iii) rolling-out current oral antivirals to more CHB patients not only for diseases treatment but also for infection preventions; and (iv) development of curative therapies, both friendly-to-dispense and affordable. A coherent and persevere efforts by the society may succeed and achieve the SDG for CHB in the future.

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal [2024; Vol.30, Issue 1] / [المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط [2024; المجلد 30 , العدد 1

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the official health journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new policies and initiatives in health services; and for the exchange of ideas concepts epidemiological data research findings and other information with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It addresses all members of the health profession medical and other health educational institutes interested NGOs WHO Collaborating Centres and individuals within and outside the Region.

المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط هى المجلة الرسمية التى تصدرعن المكتب الاقليمى لشرق المتوسط بمنظمة الصحة العالمية. وهى منبر لتقديم السياسات والمبادرات الجديدة فى الصحة العامة والخدمات الصحية والترويج لها، و لتبادل الاراء و المفاهيم والمعطيات الوبائية ونتائج الابحاث وغير ذلك من المعلومات، و خاصة ما يتعلق منها باقليم شرق المتوسط. وهى موجهة الى كل اعضاء المهن الصحية، والكليات الطبية وسائر المعاهد التعليمية، و كذا المنظمات غير الحكومية المعنية، والمراكز المتعاونة مع منظمة الصحة العالمية والافراد المهتمين بالصحة فى الاقليم و خارجه

La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée Orientale est une revue de santé officielle publiée par le Bureau régional de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la Méditerranée orientale. Elle offre une tribune pour la présentation et la promotion de nouvelles politiques et initiatives dans le domaine de la santé publique et des services de santé ainsi qu’à l’échange d’idées de concepts de données épidémiologiques de résultats de recherches et d’autres informations se rapportant plus particulièrement à la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. Elle s’adresse à tous les professionnels de la santé aux membres des instituts médicaux et autres instituts de formation médico-sanitaire aux ONG Centres collaborateurs de l’OMS et personnes concernés au sein et hors de la Région.

Impact of hepatitis B birth dose on immune response in Pakistani children: an open-label, non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, implications for achieving SDG target.

BACKGROUND: Despite presence of hyperendemic areas, the national immunisation schedule in Pakistan does not include a hepatitis B birth dose, placing newborns at an additional risk of acquiring hepatitis B. This study aimed to assess the impact of adding hepatitis B birth dose in existing national vaccination schedule. METHODS: An open label, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial enrolled 296 healthy near-term mothers to intervention and control groups. Newborns in the intervention group received a hepatitis B birth dose along with routine immunisation vaccines, while control group newborns received vaccinations under the national schedule. Seroprotection was measured and compared at birth and 8 weeks after administering the third dose of pentavalent vaccine. The risk ratio of seroprotection was computed and compared with the delta value set at 5%. RESULTS: The study found that 95.8% of infants in the intervention group achieved seroprotection, which was significantly higher than the control group's 58.7%. The difference in risk ratio of seroprotection was 1.62 (CI95: 1.37-1.93), with the upper limit of the CI below the delta margin, confirming non-inferiority. The time interval between birth and the first hepatitis B immunisation shot was a predictor of seroprotection, with an odds ratio of 1.79 (CI95: 1.01-2.9). CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that adding a hepatitis B birth dose to the immunisation schedule in Pakistan is non-inferior to the existing one. This can also contribute towards Pakistan's achievement of the SDG target of reducing hepatitis B surface antigen seroprevalence in children under 5 years of age. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04870021.

Сводное руководство по профилактике, диагностике, лечению и помощи в связи с ВИЧ-инфекцией, вирусными гепатитами и инфекциями, передаваемыми половым путем, для ключевых групп населения

В сводном руководстве изложены меры общественного здравоохранения применительно к ВИЧ-инфекции, вирусным гепатитам и инфекциям,передаваемым половым путем (ИППП), для пяти следующих ключевых групп населения: мужчины, практикующие половые контакты смужчинами; трансгендерные и гендерно разнообразные люди; секс-работники и работницы; люди, употребляющие инъекционные наркотики;люди, находящиеся в местах лишения свободы и других учреждениях закрытого типа.В руководстве, предназначенном для менеджеров национальных программ, доноров и правозащитников, даются рекомендации о том, какрасставить приоритеты в осуществлении различных медицинских вмешательств, чтобы оказать наибольшее воздействие на ВИЧ, вирусныегепатиты и ИППП, а также обеспечить всеобщий охват для решения других проблем здравоохранения применительно к ключевым группамнаселения.Мероприятия, перечисленные в этих рекомендациях, были разделены для каждой ключевой группы населения на четыре категории:1. Важнейшие для обеспечения полезного эффекта: вмешательства в отношении благоприятствующих факторов, которые рекомендованы вцелях снижения структурных барьеров для доступа ключевых групп населения к услугам здравоохранения.2. Важнейшие для обеспечения полезного эффекта: медицинские вмешательства, которые оказывают продемонстрированное прямоевоздействие на ВИЧ-инфекцию, вирусные гепатиты и ИППП в ключевых группах населения.3. Вмешательства, важнейшие для обеспечения медико-санитарного эффекта в более широком плане, которыми должны быть охваченыключевые группы населения, но которые не оказывают прямого воздействия на ВИЧ-инфекцию, вирусные гепатиты или ИППП.4. Вспомогательные вмешательства, осуществляемые силами сектора здравоохранения, которые поддерживают осуществление других мер,например, направленные на формирование спроса, предоставление информации и проведение образовательных мероприятий.Руководство призывает страны уделять приоритетное внимание охвату ключевых групп и оказывать поддержку их сообществам, которыепризваны играть лидирующую роль в осуществлении надлежащих мер и в предоставлении справедливых, доступных и приемлемых услуг этимгруппам

Avaliação do Termo de Cooperação 66. Ações de implementação das políticas públicas de controle de DST/HIV/AIDS e hepatites virais fortalecidas no contexto dos princípios e diretrizes do SUS e da Cooperação Sul-Sul

Este documento apresenta a avaliação final do Termo de Cooperação nº 66 “Ações de Implementação das Políticas Públicas de Controle de DST/HIV/AIDS e Hepatites Virais Fortalecidas no Contexo dos Princípios Diretrizes do SUS e da Cooperação Sul-Sul, desenvolvido entre o Departamento de Doenças de Condições Crônicas e Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis da Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde do Ministério da Saúde e a Organização Pan Americana da Saúde/Organização Mundial da Saúde no Brasil, com vigência de dez anos, no período entre 2011-2021. Neste relatório são abordados, prioritariamente, os processos e resultados acordados nos instrumentos de cooperação do TC 66. A cooperação técnica internacional impulsiona o intercâmbio de conhecimentos, tecnologias e de especialistas em diversos temas, ampliando os horizontes de resposta aos desafios com que se defronta a saúde pública. O relatório final de avaliação é uma oportunidade de divulgar sinteticamente os principais resultados alcançados e destaca os processos técnicos e gerenciais para a realização da cooperação técnica. Os conteúdos abordados neste documento são fruto de uma análise coletiva das múltiplas vozes de gestores e de profissionais das duas instituições parceiras que estiveram à frente das ações e que desenharam o formato e as estratégias metodológicas que nortearam a elaboração deste relatório.

Demographic and socioeconomic determinants of access to care: A subgroup disparity analysis using new equity-focused measurements.

Disparities in healthcare access and utilization associated with demographic and socioeconomic status hinder advancement of health equity. Thus, we designed a novel equity-focused approach to quantify variations of healthcare access/utilization from the expectation in national target populations. We additionally applied survey-weighted logistic regression models, to identify factors associated with usage of a particular type of health care. To facilitate generation of analysis datasets, we built an National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) knowledge graph to help automate source-level dynamic analyses across different survey years and subjects' characteristics. We performed a cross-sectional subgroup disparity analysis of 2013-2018 NHANES on U.S. adults for receipt of diabetes treatments and vaccines against Hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV), and Human Papilloma (HPV). Results show that in populations with hemoglobin A1c level ≥6%, patients with non-private insurance were less likely to receive newer and more beneficial antidiabetic medications; being Asian further exacerbated these disparities. For widely used drugs such as insulin, Asians experienced insignificant disparities in odds of prescription compared to White patients but received highly inadequate treatments with regard to their distribution in U.S. diabetic population. Vaccination rates were associated with some demographic/socioeconomic factors but not the others at different degrees for different diseases. For instance, while equity scores increase with rising education levels for HBV, they decrease with rising wealth levels for HPV. Among women vaccinated against HPV, minorities and poor communities usually received Cervarix while non-Hispanic White and higher-income groups received the more comprehensive Gardasil vaccine. Our study identified and quantified the impact of determinants of healthcare utilization for antidiabetic medications and vaccinations. Our new methods for semantics-aware disparity analysis of NHANES data could be readily generalized to other public health goals to support more rapid identification of disparities and development of policies, thus advancing health equity.

Spatial-temporal analysis and spatial drivers of hepatitis-related deaths in 183 countries, 2000-2019.

Hepatitis is the seventh leading cause of mortality worldwide and is the only communicable disease where mortality is increasing, yet the long-term spatial-temporal variation at global scale and its possible causes, i.e., drivers, remain unknown. Firstly, this study employed the measure of spatial autocorrelation, Moran's I, and the measure of local spatial cluster, Getis-Ord Gi*, to characterize the spatial variation of mortality due to hepatitis in 183 countries globally for years 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2019. Then, a novel spatial statistical method, named the Geographical Detector, was utilized to investigate eight possible influencing factors, i.e., risk factors, of the spatial-temporal variation of mortality due to hepatitis. The results showed significant disparities of hepatitis-related mortality rates among countries. Hot spots, representing locations with higher mortality rates, were consistently observed in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, while the cold spots, representing locations with lower mortality rates, were predominantly found in Europe and the Americas. Potential spatial drivers of hepatitis mortality, identified by geographical detector, include "health expenditure", "universal health coverage", and "per capita income". However, "hepatitis B immunization" and "total population" were not identified as significant spatial drivers for hepatitis mortality The findings highlighted the critical role of socioeconomic factors in the variations in hepatitis mortality, and pointed out relative importance of increasing health expenditure, per capita income, and improve universal health coverage on alleviating global hepatitis-related mortality.

Incarceration, Inequality, and Hepatitis C Treatment: The Story of Two Southern States.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes liver-related morbidity/mortality and disproportionately affects people who are incarcerated and non-Hispanic Black populations, largely due to social and policy issues that contribute to poor health. With the advent of highly efficacious treatment, HCV is now curable. However, most states' departments of corrections do not offer universal HCV testing or treatment. Two southern states-Tennessee and Louisiana-provide examples of divergent approaches to addressing HCV infection. While Tennessee has offered treatment on a limited basis, resulting in a class action lawsuit, the state of Louisiana recently adopted a new approach. In establishing the 2019 Hepatitis Elimination Plan, the state created a standard of care for HCV infection that included robust testing and treatment in state prison facilities while capping costs. Louisiana has demonstrated the feasibility of HCV testing and treatment programs within state prisons, an important step towards achieving health equity.

National viral hepatitis control program in India: Call for update.

Viral hepatitis is a serious yet manageable and preventable public health menace that infects about 3 million of people and leads to 1.1 million deaths worldwide every year. An acute episode of viral hepatitis usually subsides on its own, however, if not intervened timely, chronic infection puts people at risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and eventually death. In 2015, the global community allied to tackle viral hepatitis, as a result of which combating viral hepatitis target was included in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) constituted the first-ever global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis for 2016 to 2021 which is also renewed recently. Conforming to the global commitment, India launched the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program in the year 2018 with the aim to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by the year 2030. In the Subsequent years, WHO and various other international societies have released updated recommendations with respect to vaccination, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, strategies to increase testing uptake including self-testing, newer diagnostics including point of care and reflex testing approaches, simplified treatment algorithms, expanded treatment eligibility criteria, and simplified service delivery models. With the program being in its fifth year of implementation, there is a need to revamp the operational guidelines based on various global evidence-based advancements in order to attain the ambitious elimination goal by 2030.

Principles for making prisons and places of detention resilient to infectious diseases, including epidemic and pandemic threats

This document aims to provide national and subnational authorities involved in prison health andprison health-care services with practical principles and actions for addressing five managementphases: prepare, prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases, further strengthened bybuilding connectedness of prisons with wider health systems. This document also aims to enhancecapacity to tackle social determinants of health and to accelerate progress towards achieving thesustainable development goals, including universal health coverage. The document was developedthrough evidence review, remote expert consultation and interaction with experts during a dedicatedinternational conference. The evidence review focused on the five management phases applied tothe prison setting, leading to a draft collating the evidence, which was then used to identify keyquestions to be addressed and discussed during an international conference of stakeholders inprison health and global experts in infectious diseases in June 2023. A second evidence review wasconducted during which identified evidence gaps were further searched. Although this documentis primarily intended for policy-makers and policy-makers, it is expected that the document isalso useful for the health-care workforce in prisons and other places of detention. Thus, all coreprinciples presented are supported by recommendations for implementation.

Simplified Test-to-Treat Strategy for Hepatitis C in Thailand: The Phetchabun Model.

The complexity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnostic workflow and stringent criteria for universal health coverage are significant barriers to achieving HCV elimination in Thailand. A test-to-treat strategy using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for screening at point of care, followed by a qualitative nucleic acid testing, is a promising strategy to facilitate population-wide screening for HCV infection and expedite time to treatment. This strategy was evaluated in Phetchabun province, Thailand, where the HCV burden is relatively high. This simplified HCV test-to-treat strategy showed strong potential to be implemented at a national level. Several obstacles to implementation included the stringent criteria for universal health coverage, which prioritizes patients with advanced disease, the continuous policy revision for HCV treatment and care, the relatively low public awareness of HCV infection, and the lagging of government policy prioritization. All of these contribute to the delayed progress in hepatitis elimination.