Version 1
: Received: 22 August 2024 / Approved: 23 August 2024 / Online: 25 August 2024 (06:36:58 CEST)
How to cite:
Dunn, K.; Wardman, D.; Trubnikov, M.; Sarin, C.; Wong, T.; Liu, H.; Lee, S. S. Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C in Indigenous Populations in Canada. Preprints2024, 2024081698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1698.v1
Dunn, K.; Wardman, D.; Trubnikov, M.; Sarin, C.; Wong, T.; Liu, H.; Lee, S. S. Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C in Indigenous Populations in Canada. Preprints 2024, 2024081698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1698.v1
Dunn, K.; Wardman, D.; Trubnikov, M.; Sarin, C.; Wong, T.; Liu, H.; Lee, S. S. Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C in Indigenous Populations in Canada. Preprints2024, 2024081698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1698.v1
APA Style
Dunn, K., Wardman, D., Trubnikov, M., Sarin, C., Wong, T., Liu, H., & Lee, S. S. (2024). Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C in Indigenous Populations in Canada. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1698.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Dunn, K., Hongqun Liu and Samuel S. Lee. 2024 "Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C in Indigenous Populations in Canada" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1698.v1
Abstract
Indigenous Peoples in Canada are disproportionately affected by chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. HCV prevalence in Indigenous Peoples is estimated at approximately five to 10-fold higher than it is in non-Indigenous persons, while the reported rate of newly diagnosed HCV cases in First Nations communities was six times the respective rate in the general Canadian population in 2022. This review explores the reasons underlying the disproportionate burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Indigenous Peoples, including significant over-representation of Indigenous Peoples in the major risk categories for HCV acquisition, such as substance abuse, incarceration, homelessness or inadequate shelter, and disruption of family/social supports. The impact of these risk factors is aggravated by many access barriers to healthcare services despite the availability of universal healthcare system and free curative antiviral therapies. These stem from the legacy of colonialism, discrimination and disenfranchisement, and are exacerbated by racism in the justice and healthcare systems, stigmatization and victimization. Recent recognition of historical harms and early steps towards nation-to-nation reconciliation along with support for culturally safe, wholistic and Indigenous People-led wellness programs instill hope that elimination strategies to eradicate HCV infection in Indigenous populations will be successful in Canada.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
