Prevalence and predictors of HCV infection among hospitalized psychiatric patients in Poland

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Background: Patients with mental disorders are at increased risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, yet the prevalence of HCV among patients in Polish psychiatric ward remains unknown. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Poland from 2021 to 2023 in psychiatric wards. Adults recently hospitalized with at least one current mental health condition were eligible and 12-897 individuals were tested for anti HCV antibodies. Patients with confirmed active HCV infection (subsequent nucleic acid testing) were offered treatment. Results: Of the 12,897 individuals who constituted the sample, 64% were male, and the median age was 45 years (interquartile range: 35-58 years). Among those subjects, 226 patients (representing 1.8% of the total) exhibited a positive HCV antibody test result, and 172 of these patients had active HCV infection (the prevalence of 1.3%). Multivariate analysis identified five risk factors for HCV infection within the investigated population: intravenous drug use (odds ratio [OR] = 9.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.12-14.44; p<0.001), diagnosed and treated liver disease (OR = 6.17; 95% CI: 4.10-9.26; p < 0.001); blood transfusions prior to 1992 (OR = 2.61; 95% CI: 1.29-5.28; p=0.008), diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance abuse (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.34-2.91; p=0.001) and previous incarceration (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.08-2.43, p=0.018). Conclusions: High prevalence of HCV infection in patients with mental health disorders and specifically in patients who used intravenous drugs suggests the importance of screening for HCV in this vulnerable population.

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