Language Preference Tied to Lower Hepatitis C Test Offer, Acceptance in ED

A secondary analysis of the DETECT Hep C Screening Trial, a 3-center pragmatic randomized trial comparing targeted versus nontargeted ED-based HCV screening, examined associations between patient language preference and HCV testing. Among 147,498 patients, those with a preferred language other than English had a lower probability of being offered HCV testing (RR 0.75) and of accepting it (RR 0.69) under targeted screening, while under nontargeted screening there was no difference in test offer but still a lower probability of acceptance (RR 0.82). The authors conclude that nontargeted HCV screening may be preferred when optimizing test completion among populations with a preferred language other than English, while noting that barriers to screening acceptance in this group still need to be understood and addressed.

Most relevant for: Emergency department patients with a preferred language other than English undergoing hepatitis C screening programs.

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