Unmet needs in occupational health: prevention and management of viral hepatitis in healthcare workers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVES: Vietnam is an endemic area for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection (HBV-HCV), yet its largest city, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), has no comprehensive policy to educate, screen, treat and protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from viral hepatitis. We conducted a mixed-methods study to document HBV-HCV infection rates, risk factors, local barriers and opportunities for providing education, screening and medical care for HCWs. DESIGN: This mixed-methods study involved an HBV and HCV serological evaluation, knowledge, attitude and practice survey about viral hepatitis and many in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis using inductive and deductive approaches were used. SETTING: HCMC, Vietnam. PARTICIPANTS: HCWs at risk of viral hepatitis exposure at three hospitals in HCMC. RESULTS: Of the 210 invited HCWs, 203 were enrolled. Of the 203 HCWs enrolled, 20 were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive, 1 was anti-hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV Ab)-positive, 57 were anti-hepatitis B core Ab-positive and 152 had adequate anti-hepatitis B surface Ab (anti-HBs Ab) titre (≥10IU/mL). Only 50% of the infected HCWs reported always using gloves during a clinical activity involving handling of blood or bodily fluid. Approximately 50% of HCWs were still not vaccinated against HBV following 1 year of employment. In-depth interviews revealed two major concerns for most interviewees: the need for financial support for HBV-HCV screening and treatment in HCWs and the need for specific HBV-HCV guidelines to be independently developed. CONCLUSIONS: The high HBV infection rate in HCWs coupled with inadequate preventive occupational practices among the population in HCMC highlight the urgent needs to establish formal policy and rigorous education, screening, vaccination and treatment programmes to protect HCWs from HBV acquisition or to manage those living with chronic HBV in Vietnam.

La hepatitis viral y los métodos dialíticos / Viral hepatitis and the dialytic methods

RESUMEN Se realizó un acercamiento teórico al problema actual de la hepatitis viral y los métodos dialíticos -desde el enfoque de la ciencia, la tecnología y la sociedad-, con el objetivo de resaltar la importancia de su prevención en los pacientes de riesgo. Se analizó cómo el desarrollo alcanzado por la ciencia, en particular en el campo de la Medicina, y el enorme avance tecnológico, permiten el empleo de medidas de soporte vital, como los métodos dialíticos de depuración extrarrenal. Pero, con ello, existe el alto riesgo de transmisión de la hepatitis como infección nosocomial, problema social al que urge buscar soluciones (AU).

ABSTRACT The authors theoretically approached the current problem of viral hepatitis and the dialytic methods -from the point of view of science, technology and society-, with the objective of pointing up the importance of its prevention in risk patients. They analyzed how the great development of the science, particularly in the field of medicine, and the enormous technological advance allow the usage of life support measures, like the dialytic methods of extra renal depuration. But, it involves a high risk of hepatitis transmission as nosocomial infection, a social problem that has to be urgently solved (AU).

A Qualitative Community Assessment of Racial/Ethnic Sexual Gender Minority Young Adults: Principles for Strategies to Motivate Action(s) for Realistic Tasks (SMART Thinking) Addressing HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse.

HIV/STI, substance use, and mental health issues disproportionately affect racial/ethnic sexual minority young adults. These health vulnerabilities intensify across the life course, most notably when young adults are independent college students. To identify the perspectives of racial/ethnic sexual gender minorities living on or near an urban university, we implemented an intersectionality-informed SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis, as a qualitative community assessment situated within in a campus-community setting. The community needs assessment was the first step in the strategic prevention framework (SPF) to co-locate substance abuse, mental health, viral hepatitis, and HIV prevention care services for Latinx and Black/African American sexual gender minority young adults at a minority-serving institution. The SWOT analysis identified principles for selecting, adapting, and implementing an evidence-based intervention. The significance of these principles demonstrates the value of intersectionality in evidence-based interventions to influence health education and behavior among racial/ethnic sexual gender minorities.

How far is Mexico from Viral Hepatitis Global Health Sector Strategy 2030 targets.

In 2016 WHO member states endorsed the 69th World Health Assembly's Global Health Sector Strategies (GHSS) towards eliminating Hepatitis B (HBV) infections by 2030. Substantial progress has been made in Mexico regarding HBV vaccination, blood safety and health-care setting injection safety but minor progress has been identified regarding timely HBV birth-dose coverage, access to diagnostic testing and treatment. Most importantly, Mexico's lack of a national plan for the fight against viral hepatitis was identified as a major obstacle for the development and implementation of actions and procuring funding. Insight of these deficiencies, we propose six actions that are in line with GHSS strategic directions to better allow Mexico to reach the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. 1) the creation of a National Viral Hepatitis Task Group capable of providing direction, recommendations as well as innovative solutions in the fight against viral hepatitis in Mexico; 2) the drafting of a National Plan for viral hepatitis; 3) establishing a national viral hepatitis information database; 4) development of Clinical Practice Guidelines; 5) appeal for governmental responsibility and accountability; 6) promote basic, applied science projects as well as clinical research to determine the viral, epidemiological, genomic, ethnic and cultural peculiarities of viral hepatitis infections in Mexico. These basic actions will better equip Mexico to meet GHSS targets, lead to high-impact health interventions and ultimately enhance the cascade of care, from diagnosis to chronic care. Political commitment is a requirement to the implementation of these actions but civil society involvement is also seen to be crucial.

Increasing Viral Hepatitis Knowledge Among Urban Ethnic Minority Youth: Findings from a Community Based Prevention Intervention.

Viral hepatitis (VH) knowledge among youth is understudied in the United States. There has been a rise in VH cases in the U.S. in the wake of the opioid epidemic. Innovative approaches to preventing the infection are needed especially in urban communities. This study presents preliminary findings from a community-based HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and VH prevention education intervention for ethnic minority youth in a northeastern urban community. We aimed to evaluate VH knowledge and factors associated with knowledge. Participants in the study completed a baseline survey followed by an exit survey measuring VH knowledge after the intervention. The survey was completed by 691 individuals. Logistic regression analyses were conducted and indicated that there was a significant increase (82.3%) in VH knowledge among youth who participated in the intervention. The development and implementation of VH knowledge interventions can be crucial in alleviating the rise of VH infections in the U.S.

Avaliação das ações de um programa de DST/AIDS e Hepatites virais: percepção dos gestores / Evaluation of the actions of a STD/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis: perceptions of managers

Objetivo: Investigar a percepção dos gestores quanto às ações utilizadas para alcance das metas da Programação Anual de Metas - PAM segundo dados sócio-demográficos, satisfação com a formação e atuação, atividades desenvolvidas e o processo de gestão. Metodologia: Estudo observacional analítico transversal de amostra não probabilística por tipicidade composta por gestores dos 54 programas municipais e estadual de Minas Gerais que recebem o recurso financeiro da Política de Incentivo para o desenvolvimento de ações em DST/HIV/AIDS. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 37 gestores, sendo 9 do sexo masculino e 28 do sexo feminino. A idade média foi de 42,03 anos. O tempo médio em que atuavam como coordenadores foi de 55,50 meses. Em relação à formação vale destacar que 37,84 % dos gestores são enfermeiros, seguido de 18,92% psicólogos e 8,11% para médicos e pedagogos. Além disso, dos 37 respondentes, 29 (82,76%) declararam possuir pós-graduação. 64,86% dos gestores já atuaram no programa em outra função. O número médio de pessoas que compõe a equipe dos programas, municipais e estadual é de 15 servidores. Dos gestores participantes, 24 (64,86%) já atuaram em outra função dentro do programa e destes, 17 atuaram na assistência e 7 na gestão. Todas as análises univariadas, categóricas e contínuas, que apresentaram p valor menor que 0,20 foram incluídos na análise multivariada. Conclusões: Dados analisados revelaram que a maioria dos gestores entrevistados considerou as ações desenvolvidas para no eixo da promoção, prevenção e proteção previstas na PAM são efetivas para o enfrentamento da epidemia do HIV/AIDS. (AU)

Objective: To investigate the perception of managers about the actions used to achieve the goals of the Program Annual Targets - PAM according to socio-demographics, satisfaction with training and performance, developed activities and management process. Methodology: Crosssectional analytical study of non-probabilistic sample by typicality composed of managers of the 54 municipal and state programs of Minas Gerais receiving the financial resources of the Incentive Policy for the development of actions in STD / HIV / AIDS. Results: The sample consisted of 37 managers, 9 males and 28 females. The average age was 42.03 years. The average time that acted as coordinators was 55.50 months. Regarding the training is worth noting that 37.84% of managers are nurses, followed by 18.92% and 8.11% for psychologists and medical educators. Moreover, of the 37 respondents, 29 (82.76%) reported having graduate. 64.86% of managers have worked in the program in another function. The average number of people who make up the staff of the programs, municipal and state is 15 servers. Managers of the participants, 24 (64.86%) have been engaged in another function within the program and of these, 17 worked in assistance and 7 in management. All univariate, categorical and continuous analysis, with p value less than 0.20 were included in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Data analysis revealed that most managers interviewed considered the actions taken for the axis of the promotion, prevention and protection provided for in the MAP are effective in combating the epidemic of HIV / AIDS. (AU)

Communicating health risk in Southeast Nigeria: The case of media campaign against viral hepatitis and its implication for health communication.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the media coverage of viral hepatitis in Southeast Nigeria and the implication it has on health communication. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the level of awareness of viral hepatitis disease in Southeast Nigeria; and the extent of media coverage of hepatitis disease.Cross-sectional survey study was carried out in the 5 states of Southeast Nigeria while structured questionnaire was used to generate data. A representative sample of 500 respondents was selected from the capital cities of the 5 states in the Southeast zone of Nigeria. The data generated were analyzed using mean, percentage (%), and analysis of variance tests of between-subjects effects in SPSS, version 20. Results were considered significant at P ≤ .05.Even though majority of the people are consumers of media products, only a few of the respondents were aware of viral hepatitis, its symptoms, mode of transmission, and curative measures. Inappropriate timing and scanty or limited scheduling of media health programs were significant hindrances to media campaign against viral hepatitis in Southeast Nigeria.Regular media campaign programs against the disease are required to build more awareness as well as appropriate timing of media programs such as Sunday evenings and news hours, and media interactive forum with phone-in programs. Further research on the nature and impact of funding, support, and policy on media campaigns on this health risk are also recommended.

Protocolo del Sistema Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiológica: enfermedades transmitidas por agua y alimentos. No. 03 / Protocol of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System: water and foodborne diseases. No. 03

Estos protocolos están dirigido a personal médico, paramédico y otros profesionales que realizan acciones gerenciales y operativas de vigilancia epidemiológica en los servicios de salud del país, y están divididos en varios tomos para dar a conocer y actualizar la identificación y medidas de control para diversos padecimientos a fin de continuar con el mejoramiento de las capacidades técnicas de los trabajadores de salud, que permita planificar la prestación de servicios con decisiones partiendo de un enfoque epidemiológico comprobado, para responder a los cambios de tendencias epidemiológicas y con ello contribuir al fortalecimiento de prácticas asertivas de la salud pública de nuestro país. Las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos y agua (ETA´s), constituyen un importante problema de Salud Pública, debido a su magnitud, trascendencia, tendencia fluctuante y aumentos en su comportamiento durante el año, lo que ha significado etapas de emergencia, re emergencia, aparición de agentes nuevos con potencial epidémico y el incremento a la resistencia a los antimicrobianos con impacto negativo económico, en grupos de población. Las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos y agua, se registran entre las primeras diez causas de morbilidad y mortalidad en el país; evento notificado como enfermedad diarreica, con frecuencia los servicios de salud tienen poca capacidad de respuesta para identificación del agente etiológico, limitándose a implementar medidas de control eficientes de las fuentes de infección o contaminación y divulgación de acciones dirigidas a minimizan los factores de riesgo identificados.

[Assessment of laboratory diagnostic network in the implementation of the Program for Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control in São Paulo State, Brazil, 1997-2012]. / Avaliação da rede de diagnóstico laboratorial na implantação do Programa de Prevenção e Controle das Hepatites Virais no estado de São Paulo, 1997-2012.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the performance of the diagnostic network in the implementation process of the Program for Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control in São Paulo State, Brazil, from 1997 to 2012. METHODS: evaluation study based on documentary research and structured interviews, combined with a historical series analysis of indicators developed to assess the implementation process of the program, using data from the Department of the Brazilian National Health System. RESULTS: from 1997 to 2012, the serology, biopsy and molecular biology diagnostic networks showed an increase in the coefficients of coverage of 7.4, 7.3, and 62.0 times, respectively, with an increase in cases detection and treatment access. CONCLUSION: despite the effective implementation of the diagnostic network, there is a need to review the search strategy for new cases, and access to liver biopsy, still insufficient to the program demand.

Avaliação da rede de diagnóstico laboratorial na implantação do Programa de Prevenção e Controle das Hepatites Virais no estado de São Paulo, 1997-2012 / Assessment of laboratory diagnostic network in the implementation of the Program for Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control in São Paulo State, Brazil, 1997-2012 / Evaluación de la red de diagnóstico de laboratorio en la implementación del Programa de Prevención y Control de las Hepatitis Virales en el estado de São Paulo, Brasil, 1997 - 2012

OBJETIVO: avaliar o desempenho da rede de diagnóstico no processo de implantação do Programa de Prevenção e Controle das Hepatites Virais (PEHV) no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, no período de 1997 a 2012. MÉTODOS: estudo avaliativo baseado em pesquisa documental e entrevista estruturada, associadas a uma análise de séries históricas de indicadores desenvolvidos para avaliar o processo de implantação do PEHV, utilizando dados do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (Datasus). RESULTADOS: entre 1997 a 2012, as redes de diagnóstico sorológico, biópsia e biologia molecular apresentaram aumento dos coeficientes de cobertura de 7,4, 7,3 e 62,0 vezes, respectivamente, com aumento das notificações de portadores e do acesso ao tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: apesar da efetiva implantação da rede diagnóstica no PEHV, verifica-se a necessidade de revisão da estratégia de busca de novos portadores e acesso à biópsia de fígado, ainda insuficiente para a demanda do programa.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the performance of the diagnostic network in the implementation process of the Program for Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control in São Paulo State, Brazil, from 1997 to 2012. METHODS: evaluation study based on documentary research and structured interviews, combined with a historical series analysis of indicators developed to assess the implementation process of the program, using data from the Department of the Brazilian National Health System. RESULTS: from 1997 to 2012, the serology, biopsy and molecular biology diagnostic networks showed an increase in the coefficients of coverage of 7.4, 7.3, and 62.0 times, respectively, with an increase in cases detection and treatment access. CONCLUSION: despite the effective implementation of the diagnostic network, there is a need to review the search strategy for new cases, and access to liver biopsy, still insufficient to the program demand.

OBJETIVO: evaluar el desempeño de la red de diagnóstico en el proceso de implementación del Programa de Prevención y Control de la Hepatitis Viral en São Paulo, Brasil, de 1997 a 2012. MÉTODOS: estudio de evaluación utilizando métodos mixtos - investigación documental y entrevistas estructuradas -, con análisis de series históricas de indicadores desarrollados para evaluar la implementación del programa, mediante el Departamento de Informática del SUS (Datasus). RESULTADOS: las redes de diagnóstico de serología, biopsia y biología molecular tuvieron, entre 1997 a 2012, un aumento de los índices de cobertura en el orden de 7,4; 7,3 y 62,0 veces, respectivamente, con un crecimiento en los informes de los pacientes y acceso al tratamiento. CONCLUSIÓN: a pesar de la implementación efectiva de la red de diagnóstico para el programa, hay que revisar la estrategia de búsqueda de portadores, y acceso a biopsia de hígado, aún insuficiente para la demanda del programa.

Associations between national viral hepatitis policies/programmes and country-level socioeconomic factors: a sub-analysis of data from the 2013 WHO viral hepatitis policy report.

BACKGROUND: As more countries worldwide develop national viral hepatitis strategies, it is important to ask whether context-specific factors affect their decision-making. This study aimed to determine whether country-level socioeconomic factors are associated with viral hepatitis programmes and policy responses across WHO Member States (MS). METHODS: WHO MS focal points completed a questionnaire on national viral hepatitis policies. This secondary analysis of data reported in the 2013 Global Policy Report on the Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis in WHO Member States used logistic regression to examine associations between four survey questions and four socioeconomic factors: country income level, Human Development Index (HDI), health expenditure and physician density. RESULTS: This analysis included 119 MS. MS were more likely to have routine viral hepatitis surveillance and to have a national strategy and/or policy/guidelines for preventing infection in healthcare settings if they were in the higher binary categories for income level, HDI, health expenditure and physician density. In multivariable analyses, the only significant finding was a positive association between having routine surveillance and being in the higher binary HDI category (adjusted odds ratio 26; 95% confidence interval 2.0-340). CONCLUSION: Countries with differing socioeconomic status indicators did not appear to differ greatly regarding the existence of key national policies and programmes. A more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted interactions of socioeconomic factors, health policy, service delivery and health outcomes is needed to support country-level efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis.

Variation in the Viral Hepatitis and HIV Policies and Practices of Methadone Maintenance Programs.

OBJECTIVE: Patients prescribed methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) demonstrate elevated prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus, and HIV. Government agencies recommend testing for these infections in MMT programs, but uptake is limited. METHODS: We audited infection-related policies and practices of all 14 MMT programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2015. Results were tabulated and compared with the results from a 2010 audit of 10 of 12 MMT programs. The audit focused on which patients are tested, timing and frequency, specific tests ordered, vaccination, and communication of test results. RESULTS: Written policies were nonspecific, offering little guidance on appropriate testing. The principal change in policy between 2010 and 2015 involved adding clearer guidance for communication of results to patients. In 2010 and 2015, all MMT programs tested new patients for hepatitis C virus antibodies, although retesting of existing patients varied. HBV testing increased from 2010 to 2015, though it was not uniform, with 5 programs testing for HBV surface antibodies and 10 programs testing for HBV surface antigens. Six programs assessed hepatitis vaccination status, but only 1 administered vaccines. In 2010, city-sponsored HIV antibody testing was available at all MMT programs. Without this program in 2015, few MMT programs conducted HIV testing. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limited hepatitis and HIV screening in MMT programs nationally, this study shows that testing can be incorporated into routine procedures. MMT programs are positioned to play an integral role in the identification of patients with chronic infections, but additional guidance and resources are required to maximize their impact.