Table 2

Proportion of Correct Responses to Questions about Hepatitis C: Non-Injectors and Injectorsa


Non-Injectors
(N = 121)
Injectors
(N = 159)
All Patients
(N = 280)

1. You can get the hepatitis C virus by using a hepatitis C infected person's razor.*
73.6
84.3
79.6
2. If you have hepatitis C, drinking a few glasses of wine every day won't hurt your liver.
74.4
81.1
78.2
3. Hepatitis C can be spread when injection drug users share their rinse water.***
61.2
85.5
75.0
4. If a person's liver function tests are normal, the person definitely doesn't have hepatitis C.
66.1
75.5
71.4
5. Hepatitis C infected clients should get vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
68.6
71.7
70.4
6. You'll probably get hepatitis C if you eat food from a plate that wasn't cleaned well.**
57.9
73.6
66.8
7. Most new hepatitis C infections are caused by injection drug use.
65.3
66.7
66.1
8. All hepatitis C infected people will get rid of the virus if they stay on hepatitis C medications for at least one year.
59.5
67.3
63.9
9. The only way a doctor can really know how much the hepatitis C virus has hurt a person's liver is by doing a liver biopsy.
62.8
63.5
63.2
10. Hepatitis C is mostly spread through risky sex.***
48.8
74.2
63.2
11. When people share needles, it's easier to get HIV than hepatitis C.**
47.9
65.4
57.9
12. You should never take medications for hepatitis C if you have HIV.
49.6
57.2
53.9
13. Although the risk is low, it is possible to get hepatitis C by sharing pipes when smoking drugs.
54.5
52.8
53.6
14. Drug users must stop taking methadone before starting HCV medication.***
40.5
62.9
53.2
15. There is a vaccine that protects against hepatitis C.***
38.8
60.4
51.1
16. Medication to treat hepatitis C can work in active drug users.
45.5
39.0
41.8
17. If you take medications for hepatitis C, you need to take them for many years.**
28.9
44.0
37.5
18. Bleaching needles is a good way for injection drug users to avoid getting HCV.*
38.8
25.8
31.4
19. Most people who have hepatitis C will get serious liver disease.
16.5
19.5
18.2
20. Some people infected with HCV can get rid of it without needing to take any medications.*
7.4
17.6
13.2

aCorrect answers: 1. True; 2. False; 3. True; 4. False; 5. True; 6. False; 7. True; 8. False; 9. True; 10. False; 11. False; 12. False; 13. True; 14. False; 15. False; 16. True; 17. False; 18. False; 19. False; 20. True

* p < .05

** p < .01

*** p < .001

Strauss et al. BMC Health Services Research 2007 7:39   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-7-39