Present day Treatment of Hepatitis C Effective for African American Men Prisoners

Present day Treatment of Hepatitis C Effective for African American Men Prisoners

Introduction

Various deteriorating environmental conditions, poverty, effect of inflation on availability and affordability, lack of awareness and many other factors are responsible for the widespread of many diseases. In fact, some of these diseases were spreading in such an alarming rate that governments of many countries had to shift their attention immediately to those health concerns. However, lack of awareness and deprivation of basic health facilities remained the major obstacles in the way of ensuring the success of all the preventive measures taken in order to control the spreading of the disease. Some of the most effecting diseases that have been affecting many lives throughout are lung cancer, skin cancer and ulcer. However, there have been several diseases whose alarming increasing rate has alerted not just the medical experts but also various disciplines and sectors of those governments. One of such diseases is Hepatitis C that has been known to take many lives let alone in USA. In addition, the fact that prisoners in various cells are the most affected population has open doors to many new researches.

Literature Review

Although, governments and health officials of many countries all over the world are dealing with the contributing factors and resulting consequences of the disease. However, the constant increase in the spread of the disease is the proof of the ineffectiveness of all the preventive measures adapted.

HCV Infection and Its Status in USA

United States of America remains one of the most effected countries by the disease. The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey further prove this fact. According to the survey, in United States, out of 3.9 million-hepatitis C virus infected civilian population, approximately 74% (2.7 million) are diagnosed with chronic infection. The most commonly affected by the HCV infection are the non-Caucasian men belonging to the age group ranging from 30 to 49 years.

In addition, the occurrence of antibody to the HCV infection in many groups is not mentioned in the NHANES survey. These groups include individuals such as the incarcerated or homeless. This percentage of the victim population belonging to these groups may reach as high as 40%. The age-adjusted death rate for non-B and non-A viral hepatitis infection raised from 0.4 to 1.8 deaths per 100,000 individuals per year between the time range of 1982 and 1999. The very first time hepatitis C was reported separately was in the year 1999. In that year, almost 3,759 individuals died of the HCV infection. Between the years of 1990 and 2000, the liver transplantation treatment of the HCV infected patients experienced an increase of approximately 5-fold per year (Kim, 2002).

Until the next couple of years, it was observed that approximately one third of liver transplant candidates were diagnosed with HCV infection. Since then, the inpatient care of HCV-related liver medical concerns has also been increasing. Approximately 140,000 discharges in the year 1998 were listed as HCV-related ...