Clinical Practice Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2018. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. Feb 27, 2018; 10(2): 319-328
Published online Feb 27, 2018. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v10.i2.319
Hepatitis C virus knowledge improves hepatitis C virus screening practices among primary care physicians
Sandeep T Samuel, Anthony D Martinez, Yang Chen, Marianthi Markatou, Andrew H Talal
Sandeep T Samuel, Anthony D Martinez, Andrew H Talal, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States
Yang Chen, Marianthi Markatou, Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States
Author contributions: Samuel ST, Martinez AD and Talal AH contributed to conception of the study, obtaining regulatory approval, data collection and input on the analysis; Chen Y and Markatou M contributed to direction and conduct of statistical analysis; all authors contributed to drafting and approval of final manuscript.
Supported by Troup Fund of the Kaleida Health Foundation and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), NO. IHS-1507-31640. The statements in this work are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of PCORI, its Board of Governors or Methodology Committee.
Institutional review board statement: The Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (HSIRB) at the University at Buffalo reviewed the study protocol and deemed the study met exempt criteria 45 CFR 46.101(b)(2). The permissible exempt category was “Research involving the use of educational tests, survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior (anonymous survey)”.
Informed consent statement: The HSIRB considered the return of the anonymous survey as deemed voluntary consent to participate in the study and therefore did not require an individual consent form from each participant.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Martinez AD has served as a speaker, a consultant and an advisory board member for Gilead, Intercept, Salix, Bayer, BMS, and Abbvie, and has received research funding from Abbvie, Gilead, Merck, Tobira, and Intercept; Talal AH has served as a speaker, a consultant and an advisory board member for Abbott Laboratories, Merck, and Abbvie, and has received research funding from Merck, Gilead, Abbott Laboratories, Abbvie, Intercept and Conatus; None of the other authors have any financial disclosures.
Data sharing statement: HSIRB approval permitted data sharing of the results of the study.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Andrew H Talal, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 875 Ellicot Street, Suite 6090, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States. ahtalal@buffalo.edu
Telephone: +1-716-8296208 Fax: +1-716-8541397
Received: January 1, 2018
Peer-review started: January 2, 2018
First decision: January 15, 2018
Revised: January 17, 2018
Accepted: February 3, 2018
Article in press: February 3, 2018
Published online: February 27, 2018
Processing time: 61 Days and 20.4 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

In order to achieve global hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication, it is crucial to increase HCV diagnosis and linkage-to-care.

Research motivation

In many countries, primary care physicians (PCP) care for those who are HCV-infected yet undiagnosed. Increasing PCP willingness to screen and to treat HCV is crucial to its global eradication. Understanding promotors or barriers to HCV screening and linkage-to-care among PCP, especially the role of knowledge of the infection and screening guidelines, is crucial to expansion of the HCV workforce.

Research objectives

We sought to assess PCP knowledge about HCV natural history and treatment as well as with regard to implementation of birth cohort screening recommendations.

Research methods

We administered a 45-item survey to 163 PCP, 82% of whom were in training in internal or family medicine.

Research results

PCP knowledge of HCV natural history and prior management of HCV patients were important predictors of implementation of HCV screening. Clinical abnormalities remained the leading indication for ordering an HCV screening test.

Research conclusions

Comprehensive HCV education targeted to PCP, including screening recommendations, is critical to increase HCV detection and linkage-to-care to obtain global eradication. Familiarity with HCV management increased the likelihood that PCP would care for HCV-infected patients.

Research perspectives

Increasing physician education should lead to increased HCV screening. Linking HCV screening to treatment is crucial to obtain global HCV eradication.