Assessing testing rates for viral hepatitis B and C by general practitioners in Flanders, Belgium: a registry-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Chronic infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a major impact on mortality worldwide. Although effective treatments are available for both HBV and HCV infection, <50% of the patients are even diagnosed in Belgium. This study assessed the real-life testing-and diagnosis rate by general practitioners (GPs) in Flanders, Belgium.

Setting

We assessed the testing rate for HBV and HCV in 48 primary care practices with electronic medical records linked into one central registry in Flanders, Belgium.

Participants

The registry contains data of 440 140 patients over 20 years, which corresponds to 2.2% of the total Flemish population yearly. The primary care practices are distributed across Flanders and the patient population is repres

SUBMITTER: Bielen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6528017 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature