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Screening for hepatitis C virus in the Dartmoor prison population: an observational study
J A Horne1, A J Clements, P Drennan
1South West Dorset PCT, Hillfort House, Poundbury Road, Dorchester DT1 2PN. jane.horne@nhs.net
Background:
Prisons are a potential setting for hepatitis C screening. This study describes prisoner flows through such screening for all prisoners entering Dartmoor prison between 1 January 1998 and 30 June 2001.
Methods:
We identified numbers at each step of the screening pathway, from screening to result, referral, biopsy and outcome. We describe the proportions of those screened who were seropositive; seropositives who were confirmed virus-positive; virus-positive cases attending for biopsy; and virus-positive cases eligible for treatment.
Results:
Of 3034 entries into Dartmoor, 12 per cent were screened, with 16 per cent of these seropositive. Seventynine per cent of seropositive prisoners with a polymerase chain reaction result were confirmed virus-positive, and 27 per cent of these prisoners had a biopsy. Two prisoners were eligible for treatment.
Conclusions:
Screening uptake is low. Attrition rates are high, especially at the referral interface between the prison and specialist care. Finally, the yield of individuals eligible for treatment is low, at 7/1000 tested.
