In the United States, hepatitis C affects people of color disproportionately, compared with white people. Black Americans make up about 14 percent of the population but account for 23 percent of hepatitis C cases, a study published in the Journal of the National Medical Association found. They’re also almost twice as likely to die from...
Category: News Article
Latino People Are Least Likely to Receive Care for Hepatitis B
Black, white and Latino people with chronic hepatitis B are less likely than Asians to be adequately evaluated, and Latinos are less likely to receive treatment, according to study findings published in Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 2.4 million people in the United States are...
How New York City Plans to End Viral Hepatitis by 2030
More than 300,000 people in New York City are living with hepatitis C or hepatitis B (or both), according to 2017 estimates. But a new strategy released by city health officials may help drastically reduce that figure. Last week, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) released the Plan to Eliminate...
A Netflix Model for Hepatitis C: One Price, Unlimited Meds
Two states fighting an escalating hepatitis C crisis will soon pay a flat fee for unlimited drugs — Netflix style — to treat prisoners and low-income residents suffering from the deadly liver disease, with the goal of all but eliminating the infection. Netflix, the popular DVD and video streaming service, charges customers a monthly fee...
HCV hospitalizations increasing among baby boomers, men, drug users
Hospitalization for hepatitis C increased significantly between 2005 and 2014, especially among baby boomers, men, African-American and Hispanic patients, and patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders, according to data from a Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project statistical brief. “Baby boomers are aging and I think that’s where we’re seeing the greatest increase in...
There’s a Cure for Hepatitis C. Why Are So Many People Still Dying from It?
Between 2.7 million and 3.9 million Americans have hepatitis C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus can remain dormant for years, and by the time symptoms arise, the organs may already be damaged. Except for flu, hepatitis C takes more lives than all other CDC-tracked infectious diseases combined —...