Results of the questionnaire survey on disease recognition in patients with chronic hepatitis type C: From the viewpoint of hospital-clinic coordination for HCV antibody-positive patients

A questionnaire survey was performed for 391 patients and medical check-up examinees with positive hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody. Regarding the questions about HCV, the subjects (aware group) who were aware about HCV infection achieved significantly higher scores than those (unaware group) who were unaware of it. When asked about when they became aware about HCV infection, approximately half the respondents (48.5%) responded that it was during a consultation at a medical institution for a different illness. Television was the best-recognized medium of education, recognized by 81.9% of those in the aware group and by 66.0% of those in the unaware group. In 123 hospital-clinic coordinating facilities, when the HCV antibodies were detected and the ALT and/or AST value was abnormally high, direct acting antivirals (DAA) were provided at their facility in 13% of the cases. Meanwhile, 17% of the facilities provided other treatments, and 6% followed up with observations. Therefore, promotion of reference to gastroenterologists and educational activities should be encouraged for HCV antibody-positive patients.