Background: Studies on mostly veterans found the majority of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients were not treated. Little information exists on a broad-based population.
Aims: To determine the national trend of ambulatory visits with a diagnosis of hepatitis C and the prescription of antiviral therapy associated with such visits.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of national cross-sectional databases, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) encompassing all ambulatory visits from 2000 to 2006.
Results: During the study period, 16.5 million visits (0.21% of all visits) carried a diagnosis of hepatitis C and the number initially increased. Characteristics of the hepatitis C patients were: 65% male; 71% white, 22% black; 69% >or=45 years old. Overall, 47% had private insurance, 24% had Medicaid, and 12% had Medicare. Only 9.1% of these patients were prescribed antiviral treatment for CHC. There was no significant difference between those who received treatment and those who did not in terms of age, gender, race, and insurance status. HIV infection, mood, substance-use disorders, and anemia were more common in the CHC group.
Conclusions: Less than 10% of the ambulatory visits for hepatitis C were associated with a prescription for antiviral therapy, independent of demographic and insurance status. Purposes of the clinic visits were different in the CHC group compared to the general population. The reason for the low treatment rate is not clear but deserves further investigation.