Department of Public Health, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America.
Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Sep 27;17(9):e0275210. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275210. eCollection 2022.
Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Vietnamese Americans is reportedly high. Understanding the profile of those at greater risk of HCV in this ethnic population is a vital step to addressing this high prevalence. We hypothesize that certain sociodemographic characteristics increase the likelihood of having HCV in Vietnamese Americans.
Cross-sectional data from 2,497 Vietnamese Americans in Southern California who participated in a series of community hepatitis screening events organized by the Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation (VACF) were analyzed. Serological tests via immunoassays were used to determine whether the participant had hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV) to indicate a HCV infection. Sociodemographic characteristics as well as participants' reasons for screening were collected from questionnaires, and logistic regression models with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify their associations with HCV infection.
Approximately 5.8% of the study population was infected with HCV. Older adults and male participants had higher odds of being infected with HCV (e.g. OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.25-6.76 for ages 70+ versus ages <40; OR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.79-3.69 for male versus female participants) as were those with a family history of HCV infection (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.57-4.78). In addition, perceived self-risk as a motivation for screening was significantly associated with HCV infection (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.26-2.78).
This study identifies specific subgroups in the Vietnamese American community who would largely benefit from targeted interventions given their higher likelihood of having HCV. These interventions should emphasize improving HCV knowledge and promoting HCV self-risk assessment since awareness of one's own risk may motivate those likely to be infected to get screened.
据报道，美籍越南人的丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染率很高。了解在这个族裔群体中哪些人更有可能感染 HCV，是解决这一高流行率的重要步骤。我们假设某些社会人口统计学特征增加了美籍越南人感染 HCV 的可能性。
对参加由越南裔癌症基金会（VACF）组织的一系列社区肝炎筛查活动的 2497 名南加州美籍越南人进行了横断面数据分析。通过免疫测定法进行血清学检测，以确定参与者是否具有丙型肝炎抗体（抗-HCV），以表明 HCV 感染。从问卷中收集了社会人口统计学特征以及参与者进行筛查的原因，并使用比值比（OR）和 95%置信区间（CI）的逻辑回归模型来量化它们与 HCV 感染的关联。
研究人群中约有 5.8%感染了 HCV。年龄较大的成年人和男性参与者感染 HCV 的几率更高（例如，年龄 70 岁以上的参与者与年龄<40 岁的参与者相比，OR=2.90，95%CI 1.25-6.76；男性参与者与女性参与者相比，OR=2.57，95%CI 1.79-3.69），有 HCV 家族史的参与者也是如此（OR=2.74，95%CI 1.57-4.78）。此外，将自我感知风险作为筛查的动机与 HCV 感染显著相关（OR=1.88，95%CI 1.26-2.78）。
本研究确定了越南裔社区中特定的亚组，由于他们感染 HCV 的可能性更高，因此他们将极大地受益于有针对性的干预措施。这些干预措施应强调提高 HCV 知识水平和促进 HCV 自我风险评估，因为对自身风险的认识可能会促使那些可能感染的人接受筛查。
