Despite a large number of new infections globally, an international survey shows real reservations by people to get screened and limited knowledge about the risks, thus preventing them from seeking needed treatment.
In a large survey conducted across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, nearly a third of respondents said they had no interest in getting tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). More than half of the respondents said they did not believe they were at risk for these viruses. These results offer a glimpse into people’s attitudes and limited knowledge of the risks. The survey’s results were part of a newly published report, Decoding the Hepatitis Inaction Bubble, which was commissioned by Roche.¹
The report also pointed to geographic disparities. For example, in most regions where the survey was conducted, between 20% and 30% of people said they had no plans to get a hepatitis test. However, this increased among people living in Morocco and South Africa, with 60% and 52% respectively unlikely to seek testing.¹
The survey included 3,318 people between the ages of 16 and 64. Almost half (48%) of respondents reported only a “slight” understanding of the disease. There were also marked geographic disparities in understanding, with 34% of respondents in Thailand, 25% in South Africa, 23% in Mexico, and 20% in Morocco displaying no knowledge of hepatitis.
“Despite extensive global efforts, awareness of hepatitis remains low,” said Joanna Sickler, Vice President, Health Policy and External Affairs at Roche Diagnostics. “Hepatitis is a disease that we can prevent, manage, or even cure in some cases, but it still devastates lives worldwide. This new survey reminds us of the urgent need to improve understanding and address barriers to testing to ensure that more people get the care needed to break the cycle of transmission.”¹
There is a large burden of disease prevalence in low- and middle-income countries. However, only a small fraction have been diagnosed or are receiving treatment. Only 13% of people living with hepatitis B have been diagnosed, and less than 3% have received antiviral treatment.²
For hepatitis C, only 36% of cases have been diagnosed, with 20% receiving curative treatment,² despite the fact that over 90% could be cured with a course of antiviral medication.³
In 2022, 1.2 million people were newly infected with HBV, and 1 million people were infected with HCV, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, a large number of people live with these forms of hepatitis chronically.⁴ WHO reports that approximately 254 million people have chronic hepatitis B, and nearly 50 million people have chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C cause 1.3 million deaths each year due to liver disease and cancer.⁴
A significant portion of people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America are unaware of hepatitis risks, with nearly one-third uninterested in testing and more than half not believing they’re at risk.
Despite being preventable and treatable, hepatitis B and C remain highly underdiagnosed, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Global hepatitis B and C infections remain high, causing 1.3 million deaths annually due to liver disease and cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HBV testing for all adults aged 18 and older at least once in their lifetime using a triple panel test.⁵ Women should be tested during every pregnancy.⁵ The CDC also recommends testing all infants born to HBsAg-positive people for HBsAg and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) seromarkers, along with periodic testing for those at high risk.⁵
CDC also recommends HCV testing for all adults aged 18 and older at least once in their lifetime, except in settings where the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (HCV RNA-positivity) is under 0.1%.⁶ Women should be tested during every pregnancy except in those low-prevalence settings.⁶ CDC also recommends one-time testing for those with recognized risks and exposures.⁶
During the Biden Administration, a National Hepatitis C Elimination Program was proposed, with planned to dedicate $6.1 billion to establish the program and a total of $11.3 billion to address its costs. This ambitious program aimed to expand testing, screening, prevention, and treatment of HCV, focusing on marginalized populations at greatest risk.
Roche states that Decoding the Hepatitis Inaction Bubble also outlines critical steps to combat inaction in hepatitis B and C testing and treatment. Recommendations include collaborative actions across stakeholders such as expanding access to affordable, decentralized testing; integrating hepatitis education into routine healthcare; ensuring workplace policies support preventive care; and addressing workplace-related fears where health screenings are tied to employment.¹
To access the report, interested readers can go here.
