Technical notes: Prevalence of anti-HCV

Technical notes: Prevalence of anti-HCV

Description

Description of indicator: Prevalence of anti-HCV, reported for both national (country-wide) and sub-populations, such as people who inject drugs (PWID), pregnant women, men who have sex with men (MSM), and people living with HIV (PLHIV)

Sources

National (Both Survey/Reported and Modelled)

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA.  Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥4 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.

People who inject drugs

Some of the key sources for estimates on anti-HCV prevalence among people who inject drugs were: 

  • Degenhardt L, Peacock A, Colledge S, et al. Global prevalence of injecting drug use and sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV in people who inject drugs: a multistage systematic review [published correction appears in Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Nov 15;:]. Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5(12):e1192-e1207. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30375-3

Studies that received a grade of A-C were included, back to 2000. City-level estimates were used as national proxies when reported.

When possible, links to the the primary studies identified in the systematic review were provided. However, when these links were not available, links to the systematic reviews were used.

When multiple estimates of high quality were identified, the Degenhardt et al 2017 research team pooled the estimates. We considered pooled estimated to be "Modelled." The year for the most recent study was used as the year on the dashboards.

In some cases, the previous systematic review done by Degenhart and colleagues was referenced as the best estimate in the 2017 review. The reference for this earlier systematic review is:

In the earlier 2011 Degenhardt et al systematic review, when two or more estimates of high quality were identified, the researchers opted to find the midpoint of the values. We considered this calculation to be a "Modelled" estimate.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.
  • European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction. https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/data/stats2015#displayTable:INF-114
  • Other peer-reviewed articles

People living with HIV

  • Population-based HIV impact studies were reviewed as some studies included HBsAg and anti-HCV screening. More on the population-based impact studies can be found at: https://phia.icap.columbia.edu/. When estimates for multiple age ranges were reported, all ages was selected when available, and if not available, then ages 15+ was used. In most cases, confidence intervals for anti-HCV prevalence were not reported. 
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

Pregnant women

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.

MSM

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.

 

Description

Description of indicator: Prevalence of anti-HCV, reported for both national (country-wide) and sub-populations, such as people who inject drugs (PWID), pregnant women, men who have sex with men (MSM), and people living with HIV (PLHIV)

Sources

National (Both Survey/Reported and Modelled)

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA.  Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥4 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.

People who inject drugs

Some of the key sources for estimates on anti-HCV prevalence among people who inject drugs were: 

  • Degenhardt L, Peacock A, Colledge S, et al. Global prevalence of injecting drug use and sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV in people who inject drugs: a multistage systematic review [published correction appears in Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Nov 15;:]. Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5(12):e1192-e1207. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30375-3

Studies that received a grade of A-C were included, back to 2000. City-level estimates were used as national proxies when reported.

When possible, links to the the primary studies identified in the systematic review were provided. However, when these links were not available, links to the systematic reviews were used.

When multiple estimates of high quality were identified, the Degenhardt et al 2017 research team pooled the estimates. We considered pooled estimated to be "Modelled." The year for the most recent study was used as the year on the dashboards.

In some cases, the previous systematic review done by Degenhart and colleagues was referenced as the best estimate in the 2017 review. The reference for this earlier systematic review is:

In the earlier 2011 Degenhardt et al systematic review, when two or more estimates of high quality were identified, the researchers opted to find the midpoint of the values. We considered this calculation to be a "Modelled" estimate.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.
  • European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction. https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/data/stats2015#displayTable:INF-114
  • Other peer-reviewed articles

People living with HIV

  • Population-based HIV impact studies were reviewed as some studies included HBsAg and anti-HCV screening. More on the population-based impact studies can be found at: https://phia.icap.columbia.edu/. When estimates for multiple age ranges were reported, all ages was selected when available, and if not available, then ages 15+ was used. In most cases, confidence intervals for anti-HCV prevalence were not reported. 
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

Pregnant women

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.

MSM

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review on hepatitis B and C prevalence in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.

Only estimates with a risk of bias risk of bias score ≥2 or pooled estimates were included. Pooled estimates were considered "Modelled" estimates.

  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in EU/EEA member states, 2019. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Studies from 2016-2017 (the most recent ones included) were used from this report as earlier studies were included in the 2016 systematic review. Reference links were not included in this report, so all reported estimates are linked back to the main report.
Page last updated: 24 August 2023