1887
2 - International Conference in Emergency Medicine and Public Health-Qatar Proceedings
  • ISSN: 1999-7086
  • EISSN: 1999-7094

Abstract

Hepatitis C viral infection is a public health concern worldwide and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in several countries that supply the State of Qatar with many of its laborers. The objectives were to measure the prevalence of hepatitis C viral infection among single male laborers; detect the practices that may catalyze the spread of the infection; and assess the knowledge gap.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 and involved 504 expatriate single male laborers seeking health care in two Qatar Red Crescent health centers.

Results showed that only 5% of the total participants have ever been tested for hepatitis C and positive serology was detected in 4 respondents (0.8%), three of them from Egypt and one from Nepal. Three out of the 4 positive cases did not know they were infected and 2.5% lived with someone harboring the infection. Respondents appeared to have varying healthcare needs with 57% subject to medical procedures outside Qatar. Various risk practices for hepatitis C infection were reported including ear/body piercing (21.9%), tattooing (13.3%), contact with blood (17.0%), sharing personal equipment (12.2%) and injecting with used needles or syringes (7.4%). Less than 40% of respondents had knowledge of all modes of hepatitis C transmission.

Further actions notably building HCV monitoring system, setting a prevention plan, building screening strategy were need to be complemented by a contract renewal or a 3-year screening policy.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2016.icepq.99
2016-10-09
2024-03-29
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2016.icepq.99
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error