Impact of COVID-19-related public health measures on HCV testing in British Columbia, Canada: An interrupted time series analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Public health measures introduced to limit transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also disrupted various healthcare services in many regions worldwide, including British Columbia (BC), Canada. We assessed the impact of these measures, first introduced in BC in March 2020, on hepatitis C (HCV) testing and first-time HCV-positive diagnoses within the province.

Methods

De-identified HCV testing data for BC residents were obtained from the provincial Public Health Laboratory. Weekly changes in anti-HCV, HCV RNA and genotype testing episodes and first-time HCV-positive (anti-HCV/RNA/genotype) diagnoses from January 2018 to December 2020 were assessed and associations were de

SUBMITTER: Binka M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8662267 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature