Underserved populations have a wide heterogeneity on healthcare provision and use. They also represent the key populations according to WHO 2030 goals for HCV micro-elimination. Our review evaluated the available literature on HCV diagnosis, staging, and treatment among underserved populations, such as incarcerated people, patients with psychiatric disorders, and migrants. A narrative review of literature was performed using key electronic databases (Scopus, Pubmed—MEDLINE) and search engines (Google Scholar). Peer-reviewed publications, grey literature on HCV, and recent models proposed for micro-elimination in underserved populations were included. An insight into the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on HCV micro-elimination pathways will be also provided. Regarding prison settings, a progressive reduction in HCV epidemiology among incarcerated people in the last years was found (one-third of the level it had been before). People suffering from psychiatric disorders have a high anti-HCV prevalence, but there is a lack of data on active infections. A bidirectional relationship between HCV and psychiatric disorders was found. Migrants showed a very inconsistent assessment of HCV. Furthermore, available studies recorded data from populations with high heterogeneity of anti-HCV prevalence, Therefore, the reported results need caution in their evaluation
Facing HCV as a Major Public Healthcare Threat in Italy: Epidemiology and Micro-Elimination Pathways among Underserved Populations / Fiore, Vito; Manca, Valentina; Colpani, Agnese; DE VITO, Andrea; Maida, Ivana; Madeddu, Giordano; Babudieri, Sergio. - In: HEALTHCARE. - ISSN 2227-9032. - (2023). [10.3390/healthcare11142109]
Facing HCV as a Major Public Healthcare Threat in Italy: Epidemiology and Micro-Elimination Pathways among Underserved Populations
Vito Fiore;Valentina Manca;Agnese Colpani;Andrea De Vito
;Ivana Maida
;Giordano Madeddu
;Sergio Babudieri
2023-01-01
Abstract
Underserved populations have a wide heterogeneity on healthcare provision and use. They also represent the key populations according to WHO 2030 goals for HCV micro-elimination. Our review evaluated the available literature on HCV diagnosis, staging, and treatment among underserved populations, such as incarcerated people, patients with psychiatric disorders, and migrants. A narrative review of literature was performed using key electronic databases (Scopus, Pubmed—MEDLINE) and search engines (Google Scholar). Peer-reviewed publications, grey literature on HCV, and recent models proposed for micro-elimination in underserved populations were included. An insight into the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on HCV micro-elimination pathways will be also provided. Regarding prison settings, a progressive reduction in HCV epidemiology among incarcerated people in the last years was found (one-third of the level it had been before). People suffering from psychiatric disorders have a high anti-HCV prevalence, but there is a lack of data on active infections. A bidirectional relationship between HCV and psychiatric disorders was found. Migrants showed a very inconsistent assessment of HCV. Furthermore, available studies recorded data from populations with high heterogeneity of anti-HCV prevalence, Therefore, the reported results need caution in their evaluationI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.