Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark

Sandra Dröse; Janne Fuglsang Hansen; Birgit Thorup Røge; Anne Lindebo Holm Øvrehus; Peer Brehm Christensen

doi:10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298

Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark

Sandra Dröse, Janne Fuglsang Hansen, Birgit Thorup Røge, Anne Lindebo Holm Øvrehus, Peer Brehm Christensen

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The goal of the C-Free-South project is to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the Region of Southern Denmark (1.2 million inhabitants). One target group consists of people with HCV who had received care but were lost to follow-up. The study aim was to evaluate program efficacy in locating these patients and getting them into care.

METHODS: Patients were contacted if they were HCV-RNA positive and age 18+ years, registered in the clinical hepatitis database as of November 1, 2019, and had no scheduled HCV-related appointment. They were contacted at 2-month intervals by phone or letter. For patients who did not respond, we asked their general practitioner to refer them, if possible.

RESULTS: We identified 69 (7%) patients in the database who were listed as untreated and not being followed up. We successfully contacted 54 (78%), and the remaining 15 (22%) did not respond to our contacts. To date, 45 (65%) had initiated treatment, one (1%) had rejected treatment, and eight (12%) did not show up to their appointments. Among those receiving treatment, 20 (44%) responded after the first contact, 18 (40%) after the second contact, and 7 (16%) after informing the general practitioner.

CONCLUSION: An intensified and persistent effort made it possible to reach most HCV patients lost to follow-up. All new contact attempts increased the possibility that patients would receive treatment. Nevertheless, 22% of HCV patients lost to follow-up did not respond to repeated contact attempts.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Infectious Diseases
Vol/bind	55
Udgave nummer	5
Sider (fra-til)	361-369
ISSN	2374-4235
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298
Status	Udgivet - maj 2023

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
The C-Free South Project is funded by the C.H.I.M.E. grant by Gilead Sciences [ISR-DK-18-10469]. The Region of Southern Denmark and the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, have supported the work. The financial supporters have not been involved in this work. The authors thank nurses Trine Sølund Bager and Mie Rønnebæk in the hepatitis outpatient clinic, Department of Infectious Disease, Odense University Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Sygehus Lillebælt, Kolding, for their great commitment.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Society for Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298

Open Access VersionAccepteret manuskript, 418 KBLicens: CC BY-NC

1 Ph.d.-afhandling

Hepatitis C Elimination in the Region of Southern Denmark
Dröse, S., 7. feb. 2024, Syddansk Universitet. Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet. 161 s.
Publikation: Afhandling › Ph.d.-afhandling

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Citationsformater

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title = "Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: The goal of the C-Free-South project is to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the Region of Southern Denmark (1.2 million inhabitants). One target group consists of people with HCV who had received care but were lost to follow-up. The study aim was to evaluate program efficacy in locating these patients and getting them into care.METHODS: Patients were contacted if they were HCV-RNA positive and age 18+ years, registered in the clinical hepatitis database as of November 1, 2019, and had no scheduled HCV-related appointment. They were contacted at 2-month intervals by phone or letter. For patients who did not respond, we asked their general practitioner to refer them, if possible.RESULTS: We identified 69 (7%) patients in the database who were listed as untreated and not being followed up. We successfully contacted 54 (78%), and the remaining 15 (22%) did not respond to our contacts. To date, 45 (65%) had initiated treatment, one (1%) had rejected treatment, and eight (12%) did not show up to their appointments. Among those receiving treatment, 20 (44%) responded after the first contact, 18 (40%) after the second contact, and 7 (16%) after informing the general practitioner.CONCLUSION: An intensified and persistent effort made it possible to reach most HCV patients lost to follow-up. All new contact attempts increased the possibility that patients would receive treatment. Nevertheless, 22% of HCV patients lost to follow-up did not respond to repeated contact attempts.",

keywords = "direct-acting antivirals, Hepatitis C, lost to follow-up, micro-elimination, retrieval, Lost to Follow-Up, Hepacivirus/genetics, Hepatitis C/epidemiology, Humans, Denmark/epidemiology, Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use, Adolescent, Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy",

author = "Sandra Dr{\"o}se and Hansen, {Janne Fuglsang} and R{\o}ge, {Birgit Thorup} and {\O}vrehus, {Anne Lindebo Holm} and Christensen, {Peer Brehm}",

note = "Funding Information: The C-Free South Project is funded by the C.H.I.M.E. grant by Gilead Sciences [ISR-DK-18-10469]. The Region of Southern Denmark and the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, have supported the work. The financial supporters have not been involved in this work. The authors thank nurses Trine S{\o}lund Bager and Mie R{\o}nneb{\ae}k in the hepatitis outpatient clinic, Department of Infectious Disease, Odense University Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Sygehus Lilleb{\ae}lt, Kolding, for their great commitment. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Society for Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases.",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298",

language = "English",

volume = "55",

pages = "361--369",

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T1 - Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark

AU - Dröse, Sandra

AU - Hansen, Janne Fuglsang

AU - Røge, Birgit Thorup

AU - Øvrehus, Anne Lindebo Holm

AU - Christensen, Peer Brehm

N1 - Funding Information: The C-Free South Project is funded by the C.H.I.M.E. grant by Gilead Sciences [ISR-DK-18-10469]. The Region of Southern Denmark and the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, have supported the work. The financial supporters have not been involved in this work. The authors thank nurses Trine Sølund Bager and Mie Rønnebæk in the hepatitis outpatient clinic, Department of Infectious Disease, Odense University Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Sygehus Lillebælt, Kolding, for their great commitment. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Society for Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases.

PY - 2023/5

Y1 - 2023/5

N2 - BACKGROUND: The goal of the C-Free-South project is to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the Region of Southern Denmark (1.2 million inhabitants). One target group consists of people with HCV who had received care but were lost to follow-up. The study aim was to evaluate program efficacy in locating these patients and getting them into care.METHODS: Patients were contacted if they were HCV-RNA positive and age 18+ years, registered in the clinical hepatitis database as of November 1, 2019, and had no scheduled HCV-related appointment. They were contacted at 2-month intervals by phone or letter. For patients who did not respond, we asked their general practitioner to refer them, if possible.RESULTS: We identified 69 (7%) patients in the database who were listed as untreated and not being followed up. We successfully contacted 54 (78%), and the remaining 15 (22%) did not respond to our contacts. To date, 45 (65%) had initiated treatment, one (1%) had rejected treatment, and eight (12%) did not show up to their appointments. Among those receiving treatment, 20 (44%) responded after the first contact, 18 (40%) after the second contact, and 7 (16%) after informing the general practitioner.CONCLUSION: An intensified and persistent effort made it possible to reach most HCV patients lost to follow-up. All new contact attempts increased the possibility that patients would receive treatment. Nevertheless, 22% of HCV patients lost to follow-up did not respond to repeated contact attempts.

AB - BACKGROUND: The goal of the C-Free-South project is to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the Region of Southern Denmark (1.2 million inhabitants). One target group consists of people with HCV who had received care but were lost to follow-up. The study aim was to evaluate program efficacy in locating these patients and getting them into care.METHODS: Patients were contacted if they were HCV-RNA positive and age 18+ years, registered in the clinical hepatitis database as of November 1, 2019, and had no scheduled HCV-related appointment. They were contacted at 2-month intervals by phone or letter. For patients who did not respond, we asked their general practitioner to refer them, if possible.RESULTS: We identified 69 (7%) patients in the database who were listed as untreated and not being followed up. We successfully contacted 54 (78%), and the remaining 15 (22%) did not respond to our contacts. To date, 45 (65%) had initiated treatment, one (1%) had rejected treatment, and eight (12%) did not show up to their appointments. Among those receiving treatment, 20 (44%) responded after the first contact, 18 (40%) after the second contact, and 7 (16%) after informing the general practitioner.CONCLUSION: An intensified and persistent effort made it possible to reach most HCV patients lost to follow-up. All new contact attempts increased the possibility that patients would receive treatment. Nevertheless, 22% of HCV patients lost to follow-up did not respond to repeated contact attempts.

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KW - Hepatitis C

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KW - micro-elimination

KW - retrieval

KW - Lost to Follow-Up

KW - Hepacivirus/genetics

KW - Hepatitis C/epidemiology

KW - Humans

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use

KW - Adolescent

KW - Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy

U2 - 10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298

DO - 10.1080/23744235.2023.2189298

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36930953

SN - 2374-4235

VL - 55

SP - 361

EP - 369

JO - Infectious Diseases

JF - Infectious Diseases

IS - 5

ER -

Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark

Abstract

Bibliografisk note

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Hepatitis C Elimination in the Region of Southern Denmark

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