Overcome Health Inequities to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis.

This Viewpoint outlines the progress made toward eliminating hepatitis B and C but emphasizes the work that remains to prioritize diagnosis and treatment of populations disproportionately affected by viral hepatitis, including ensuring that there are systems in place to treat those infected and care for those at risk.

Aspectos que fragilizam o acesso das pessoas com hepatites virais aos serviços de saúde / Aspectos que debilitan el acceso de la persona com hepatitis virales a la atención em servicios de salud / Aspects that weaken access of people with viral hepatitis to healthcare services

Resumo Objetivo analisar os aspectos que fragilizam o acesso à atenção às hepatites virais. Método pesquisa avaliativa, desenvolvida no Estado de Mato Grosso, com os gestores da Secretaria de Estado de Saúde e os profissionais dos serviços de referência. Para a coleta de dados realizaram-se entrevistas, utilizou-se a Análise de Conteúdo, na vertente temática e, para a discussão as dimensões do modelo de análise de acesso universal aos serviços de saúde. Resultados a dimensão política apresenta pouca participação da gestão federal e estadual na proposição de diretrizes, coordenação e pactuação. Na dimensão econômico-social o baixo investimento na rede pública e a dificuldade de fixação de profissionais especialistas. Na dimensão organizacional a regulação do acesso, da assistência e a logística do tratamento sofrem com as barreiras geográficas, além do baixo uso do monitoramento e a avaliação. Na dimensão técnica a pouca formação profissional e a ausência de projeto compartilhado em rede. Na dimensão simbólica os fatores culturais, de crença, valores e subjetividade interferem no acesso. Conclusão e implicações para a prática os resultados colaboram para direcionar ações de enfrentamento, almejando alcançar as metas pactuadas para a Agenda 2030.

Resumen Objetivo analizar los aspectos que debilitan el acceso a la atención a las hepatitis virales. Método investigación evaluativa, desarrollada en el Estado de Mato Grosso, con los gestores del Departamento de Salud del Estado y los profesionales de los servicios de referencia. Para la recolección de datos fueron realizadas entrevistas, se utilizó el Análisis de Contenido, en el aspecto temático, y para discutir las dimensiones del modelo de análisis de acceso universal a los servicios de salud. Resultados la dimensión política presenta poca participación de la administración federal y estatal en la propuesta de lineamientos, coordinación y acuerdo. En la dimensión económico-social la baja inversión en la red pública y dificultad para fijar profesionales especializados. En la dimensión organizacional, la regulación de la logística de acceso, asistencia y tratamiento sufren con las barreras geográficas, además del bajo uso de monitoreo y evaluación. En la dimensión técnica poca formación y ausencia de proyecto compartido en red. En la dimensión simbólica los factores culturales, la creencia, los valores y la subjetividad interfieren en el acceso. Conclusión e implicaciones para la práctica los hallazgos colaboran para reflejar las acciones de afrontamiento destinadas a alcanzar los objetivos acordados para la Agenda 2030.

Abstract Objective to analyze the aspects that weaken the access to viral hepatitis care. Method evaluative research, developed in the State of Mato Grosso, with managers of the State Health Department and professionals from reference services. For data collection, interviews were conducted. Content analysis was used in a theme-based approach and, for the discussion, the dimensions of the analysis model of universal access to health services. Results The political dimension presents little participation of federal and state management in the proposition of guidelines, coordination, and pacts. In the economic-social dimension, the low investment in the public network and the difficulty in hiring specialist professionals were identified. In the organizational dimension, the regulation of access, assistance, and the logistics of treatment suffers from geographic barriers, besides the low use of monitoring and evaluation. In the technical dimension, the little professional training and the absence of a shared network project were noticed. In the symbolic dimension, cultural factors, beliefs, values, and subjectivity interfere with access. Conclusion and implications for the practice the results collaborate to direct confrontation actions, aiming to reach the goals agreed upon for the 2030 Agenda

Repercussões da pandemia por Covid-19 nos serviços de referência para atenção às hepatites virais / Repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic on referral services for viral hepatitis care

Resumo Estudo com objetivo de analisar, segundo a perspectiva de gestores e profissionais de saúde, as repercussões da pandemia por Covid-19 para os serviços de referência às hepatites virais no estado de Mato Grosso. Trata-se de pesquisa avaliativa, em abordagem descritiva de dados qualitativos, coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturada. A análise temática resultou em duas categorias: "Pandemia de Covid-19 e fragilidades na atenção às hepatites virais" e "Desafios da gestão na atenção às hepatites virais agravados pela pandemia". Constatou-se dificuldades de organização e implementação de estratégias para favorecer o cuidado, durante a pandemia, por ter redução no serviço administrativo na gestão estadual, ausência de diretrizes para os serviços e limitação no quantitativo de profissional, além da necessidade de remanejamento para atendimento a Covid-19. Os desafios postos pela gestão incluem a prioridade de ações estratégicas para aumentar a testagem e oportunizar acesso aos serviços de referência. Entretanto, a rotatividade de gestores e quantitativo de profissionais repercute no enfrentamento às hepatites. A organização da rede de atenção precisa avançar na governança das ações e serviços e em rearranjos organizacionais capazes de permitir respostas mais rápidas nos fluxos da atenção.

Abstract Study carried out with the objective of analyzing the repercussions of the Covid 19 pandemic on reference services for viral hepatitides in the state of Mato Grosso from the perspective of managers and health professionals. This is an evaluative research with a descriptive approach of qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis resulted in two categories: "Covid-19 pandemic and weaknesses in viral hepatitis care" and "Management challenges in viral hepatitis care aggravated by the pandemic". The study found difficulties in organizing and implementing care strategies during the pandemic due to the reduction in the state administrative service, in addition to the absence of guidelines to perform the services and limitation in the number of professionals; also, due to the need for relocation to face the Covid 19 pandemic. Management challenges include prioritizing strategic actions in order to increase testing and provide access to reference services. The turnover of managers and the number of professionals have repercussions on coping with hepatitides. It is necessary to organize the care network with the objective of advancing actions and services that allow faster responses in care flows.

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).

Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid enhanced magnetic resonance imaging-guided risk assessment in living donor liver transplant patients with postoperative complications: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the measurements of quantitative and qualitative parameters on hepatobiliary phase images can predict the risk of postoperative complications in patients underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) PATIENTS AND METHODS: We obtained Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3 Tesla MRI before living donor hepatectomy in donors (donor group; n=30) and after LDLT in their recipients (recipient group; n=30). MRIs were evaluated in terms of quantitative and qualitative variables. Quantitative parameters included relative liver enhancement value, biliary signal intensity value, and muscle signal index value. Qualitative parameters included visual evaluation of the liver and biliary enhancement on hepatobiliary phase images. Patients were followed up for postoperative biliary and vascular complications and divided according to the presence and absence of complications. The relationship between MRI parameters and postoperative complications was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The mean relative liver enhancement values, mean biliary signal values, and muscle signal index were significantly lower in recipients with postoperative complications than those in donors and recipients without complications (p < 0.001). Visual assessments of liver enhancement and biliary signal were also significantly different in recipients with postoperative complications than that in donors and recipients without complications (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative and qualitative MRI parameters obtained by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI on hepatobiliary phase images may potentially become a reliable tool for the assessment of the risk for postoperative complications after LDLT.

Physician perspectives on the management of viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma in Myanmar.

BACKGROUND: In Myanmar, over five million people are infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis has been a recent focus with the development of a National Strategic Plan on Hepatitis and plans to subsidize HCV treatment. METHODS: During a two-day national liver disease symposium covering HCV, HBV, hepatocellular (HCC), and end-stage liver disease (ESLD), physician surveys were administered using the automated response system (ARS) to assess physician knowledge, perceptions of barriers to screening and treatment, and proposed solutions. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) relating demography and practice factors with higher provider knowledge and improvement. RESULTS: One hundred two physicians attending from various specialty areas (31.0% specializing in gastroenterology/hepatology and/or infectious disease) were of mixed gender (46.8% male), were younger than or equal to 40 years old (51.1% 20 to 40 years), had less experience (61.6% with ≤10 years of medical practice), were from the metropolitan area of Yangon (72.1%), and saw <10 liver disease patients per week (74.3%). The majority of physicians were not comfortable with treating or managing patients with liver disease. The post-test scores demonstrated an improvement in liver disease knowledge (9.0% ± 27.0) compared to the baseline pre-test scores; no variables were associated with significant improvement in hepatitis knowledge. Physicians identified the cost of diagnostic blood tests and treatment as the most significant barrier to treatment. Top solutions proposed were universal screening policies (46%), removal of financial barriers for treatment (29%), patient education (14%) and provider education (11%). CONCLUSIONS: Physician knowledge improved after this symposium, and many other needs were revealed by the physician input on barriers to care and their solutions. These survey results are important in guiding the next steps to improve liver disease management and future medical education efforts in Myanmar.

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.

Sequence balance minimisation: minimising with unequal treatment allocations.

BACKGROUND: Minimisation ensures excellent balance between groups for several prognostic factors, even in small samples. However, its use with unequal allocation ratios has been problematic. This paper describes a new minimisation scheme named sequence balance minimisation for unequal treatment allocations. METHODS: Treatment- and factor-balancing properties were assessed in simulation studies for two- and three-arm trials with 1:2 and 1:2:3 allocation ratios. Sample sizes were set 30, 60 and 120. The number of prognostic factors on which to achieve balance was ranged from zero (treatment totals only) to ten with two levels occurring in equal probabilities. Random elements were set at 0.95, 0.9, 0.85, 0.80, 0.7, 0.6 and 0.5. Characteristics of the randomisation distributions and the impact of changing the block size while maintaining the allocation ratio were also examined. RESULTS: Sequence balance minimisation has good treatment- and factor-balancing capabilities, and the randomisation distribution was centred at zero for all scenarios. The mean and median number of allocations achieved were the same as the number expected in most scenarios, and including additional factors (up to ten) in the minimisation scheme had little impact on treatment balance. Treatment balance tended to depart from the target as the random element was lowered. The variability in allocations achieved increased slightly as the number of factors increased, as the random element was decreased and as the sample size increased. The mean and median factor imbalance remained tightly around zero even when the chosen factor was not included in the minimisation scheme, though the variability was greater. The variability in factor imbalance increased slightly as the random element decreased, as well as when the number of prognostic factors and sample size increased. Increasing block size while maintaining the allocation ratio improved treatment balance notably with little impact on factor imbalance. CONCLUSIONS: Sequence balance minimisation has good treatment- and factor-balancing properties and is particularly useful for small trials seeking to achieve balance across several prognostic factors.

Competencia clínica de médicos de seguridad social guatemaltecos para manejar hepatitis virales en atención primaria / Clinical competences for human viral hepatitis treatment of primary healthcare physicians from the Guatemalan social security system

RESUMEN Objetivo Medir la competencia clínica para el diagnóstico y manejo de hepatitis virales en médicos de primer nivel de atención a la salud. Metodología Se efectuó un estudio transversal en el que usando un instrumento previamente validado se midió la competencia y posteriormente se comparó entre médicos adscritos a diversas unidades médicas de atención primaria a la salud (UMAPS) del Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS). La información fue analizada mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial no paramétrica. Se evaluaron 104 médicos de 5 UMAPS del IGSS. Resultados Se encontró un nivel muy bajo de competencia clínica para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las hepatitis virales, dentro de un intervalo de 9 a 62 puntos obtenidos en el instrumento que tiene un valor máximo teórico de 88, sin encontrar diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre UMAPS. Conclusiones: Se requiere educación continua en los médicos de las UMAPS del IGSS para mejorar sus competencias en hepatitis virales.(AU)

ABSTRACT Objective To measure the clinical competence for diagnosis and treatment of human viral hepatitis in primary health care physicians. Methodology Cross-sectional study in which a previously validated instrument to measure competences was used, and subsequent comparison between physicians at various primary health care units (PHCT) from the Guatemalan Institute of Social Security (GISS). This information was analyzed using descriptive and non-parametrical statistics. 104 physicians, from 5 PHCT ascribed to GISS were analyzed. Results A low level of clinical competence for diagnosis and treatment of human viral hepatitis in this physicians group was found, within a range of 9 to 62 points obtained through an instrument with a maximum theoretical value of 88; no significant statistical difference between PHCT was found. Conclusions PHCT physicians from require continuing education to improve their clinical competence on human viral hepatitis.(AU)

A medical cost estimation with fuzzy neural network of acute hepatitis patients in emergency room.

Taiwan is an area where chronic hepatitis is endemic. Liver cancer is so common that it has been ranked first among cancer mortality rates since the early 1980s in Taiwan. Besides, liver cirrhosis and chronic liver diseases are the sixth or seventh in the causes of death. Therefore, as shown by the active research on hepatitis, it is not only a health threat, but also a huge medical cost for the government. The estimated total number of hepatitis B carriers in the general population aged more than 20 years old is 3,067,307. Thus, a case record review was conducted from all patients with diagnosis of acute hepatitis admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of a well-known teaching-oriented hospital in Taipei. The cost of medical resource utilization is defined as the total medical fee. In this study, a fuzzy neural network is employed to develop the cost forecasting model. A total of 110 patients met the inclusion criteria. The computational results indicate that the FNN model can provide more accurate forecasts than the support vector regression (SVR) or artificial neural network (ANN). In addition, unlike SVR and ANN, FNN can also provide fuzzy IF-THEN rules for interpretation.

[Organizational characteristics of treatment for chronic hepatitis in Hungary: Hepatitis Registry and Priority Index]. / A krónikus vírushepatitisek hazai ellátási rendszerének sajátosságai: Hepatitisz Regiszter és a Prioritási Index.

Hepatitis Registry was developed by the Hepatology Section of the Hungarian Gastroenterology Society with the contribution of the Foundation for Liver Patients. The main task was to register all interferon based treatments of chronic hepatitis C and B and to facilitate the preauthorization process. The registry helped to clarify the number and characteristics of hepatitis C patients waiting for triple therapy; 3000 previously failed patients are still eligible for protease inhibitor therapy, 40% of them already developed cirrhosis stage and 40% are null responders to the previous therapy. As a file is created for treatment authorization, the system counts automatically the Priority Index according to the calculation set in the guideline. Priority Index reflects the urgency of treatment. The most prominent parameter of the Index is the degree of fibrosis, but it also takes into account the progression rate, prognostic factors, and special situations.

In the shadow of HIV/AIDS: forgotten diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: global health issues and funding agency responsibilities.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has generated international solidarity, particularly with sub-Saharan Africa. The mainly vertical approach to this challenge has, however, mobilized so much attention and so many resources that other crucial public health problems, such as chronic viral hepatitis and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), have been left in the shadows. One year after the first official World Hepatitis Day launched by WHO and the first UN meeting on NCDs, the world needs a vigorous debate on a more comprehensive approach to public health challenges in developing countries.

Hepatitis needs assessment among Jordanian healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis infections caused by hepatitis A, B and C virus are considered to be an important health problem worldwide. Based on the available data from the Jordanian Ministry of Health, the incidence rates of hepatitis A and B in the Jordanian population in 2003 were 10.2 and 0.8 per 100,000 per year, respectively; however, data on the incidence of hepatitis C are not currently available. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To assess Jordanian healthcare workers' hepatitis training needs. METHODS: A total of 339 healthcare workers from private and public Jordanian healthcare settings participated in this descriptive study. The Minnesota Primary Care Practitioners Viral Hepatitis Survey was utilized for data collection. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the participants expressed that they did not have adequate and current training in issues related to hepatitis infections. Healthcare workers indicated an interest in receiving information and training about hepatitis A, B and C (83%, 71% and 80%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the majority of Jordanian healthcare workers reported a need for hepatitis training. IMPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Standardized training should be provided to healthcare workers who are working in high-risk settings.