Results of the National Health Screening Program for Hepatitis C among 56-year-olds, Republic of Korea, 2025

This report analyzes the screening status and care cascade following the 2025 introduction of national hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for 56-year-olds as a measure to eliminate HCV and evaluates the impact of this program on the national infectious disease surveillance system.

This study analyzed data from 537,726 individuals aged 56 who participated in the national health screening program in 2025 and the data from 329 reported cases of HCV in the same age group from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Antibody positivity and the care cascade were calculated using data from the National Health Insurance Service, and diagnosis pathways and reported cases were compared across age groups.

In 2025, the screening rate for 56-year-olds was 70.5%, with an antibody positivity rate of 0.8%. Data analysis found that there were about twice as many cases reported for this age group as the average for the entire 50s age group. Of these cases, 57.6% were identified through health screenings, confirming the effectiveness of the national program in detecting previously undiagnosed cases; however, only 44.9% of those with antibodies underwent confirmatory testing, and only 18.0% of the estimated confirmed cases initiated treatment.

The recently introduced national HCV screening for 56-year-olds has been effective in detecting previously undiagnosed cases. To enhance linkage to treatment and achieve the World Health Organization goal of eliminating HCV, the management system must be improved by implementing measures such as introducing reflex testing and strengthening case management through follow-up epidemiological investigations to improve linkage to care.