Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 – Oct 15) – Opportunities to Address Hepatitis C Among Hispanic Populations

The first priority area of the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (Action Plan) is to educate health care providers and communities to reduce health disparities. This Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th) represents an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of viral hepatitis among Hispanic persons in the United States. Hepatitis C is a major cause of chronic liver disease that can often be prevented through testing, care, and treatment.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death among Hispanics/Latinos in the United States; in 2014 it was the 6th leading cause of death among Hispanic men and the 3rd leading cause among those aged 55 to 64. Additionally:

• Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of new (acute) hepatitis C infections among Hispanics has steadily increased from 0.14 to 0.25 cases per 100,000 persons.
• Hispanics experience a higher rate of hepatitis C-related deaths (6.81 per 100,000) compared with white non-Hispanics (4.46 per 100,000).

Fortunately, screening for people at risk is a covered preventive service under most health insurance plans and chronic hepatitis C is now curable in most cases. Helping promote awareness of viral hepatitis and increasing testing are two critical steps in improving outcomes for those living with viral hepatitis. During this Hispanic Heritage Month, we encourage you to join the ongoing national efforts to help reduce health disparities in viral hepatitis. To get involved:

• Educate about the burden of hepatitis C among Hispanics and the importance of getting tested and care for those at risk.
• Take the five-minute, free and anonymous online Hepatitis Risk Assessment and encourage colleagues, family, neighbors, and others to do the same.
• Get tested for viral hepatitis. Many health plans cover hepatitis C testing for adults at increased risk and everyone born between 1945 and 1965.
• Download free educational resources for professionals and patients (including Spanish-language tools) from the CDC.
• View the HHS webinar Hispanics and Hepatitis: What You Need To Know (2013)