Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Roma and Non-Roma People in Slovakia

Sylvia Drazilova, Martin Janicko, Pavol Kristian, Ivan Schreter, Monika Halanova, Ingrid Urbancikova, Andrea Madarasova-Geckova, Maria Marekova, Daniel Pella, Peter Jarcuska and HepaMeta Team
Additional contact information
Sylvia Drazilova: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Poprad, 058 01 Poprad, Slovakia
Martin Janicko: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
Pavol Kristian: Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia
Ivan Schreter: Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia
Monika Halanova: Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University, Kosice, 041 80 Kosice, Slovakia
Ingrid Urbancikova: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Children´s Faculty Hospital, P.J. Safarik University, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
Andrea Madarasova-Geckova: Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
Maria Marekova: Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
Daniel Pella: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
Peter Jarcuska: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
HepaMeta Team: Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University, Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Prevalence of Hepatitis B is relatively low in developed European countries. However specific subpopulations may exist within each country with markedly different Hepatitis B burden. Roma minority is very numerous in Slovakia and their lifestyle is completely different to non-Roma population. The aim of this study is to map Hepatitis B prevalence in Roma and compare it to non-Roma population and to explore potential socio-economic and health related risk factors. Cross-sectional epidemiology study was performed in Slovakia that included randomly sampled Roma population and geographically corresponding random sampled non-Roma population. Comprehensive questionnaire about risk factors was administered and blood samples were drawn for Hepatitis B serology and virology tests. Altogether 855 participants were included. Global Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) positivity rate was 7.7% (i.e., active Hepatitis B) and anti Hepatitis B core IgG antibody (antiHBcIgG) positivity rate was 34.6%. Roma population had significantly higher prevalence of Hepatitis B, both active chronic infection (12.4%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 9.58%–15.97% versus 2.8%; 95% CI 1.56%–4.91%; p < 0.0001) and antiHBcIgG positivity (52.8%; 95% CI 48.17%–57.44% versus 25.9%; 95% CI 12.56%–20.02%; p < 0.0001) Main risk factors for HBsAg positivity were Roma ethnicity, male sex and tattoo. Conclusion: There is a very high prevalence of Hepatitis B in Roma communities in Slovakia, with potential for grave medical consequences.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis B; Roma population; prevalence; risk factors; anti HBc antibodies; HBV DNA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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