Illinois hospitals are urged to participate in a public awareness campaign to support Hepatitis C education. Hepatitis C, regarded as a silent epidemic by industry experts, affects 4 million Americans - four times the number of people infected with HIV. If the blood-borne virus of the liver is left untreated, it can progress to advanced liver diseases (like liver cancer and cirrhosis) and sometimes become fatal.
Last month, the Illinois Hepatitis C Coalition launched a statewide collaborative effort among public health organizations, physicians, nurses, clergy and advocacy groups to raise awareness about the disease, that may affect more than 214,000 Illinoisans.
The coalition provides informational brochures, educational opportunities for healthcare professionals to participate and will sponsor various hepatitis C community events targeting the general public, the business community and veterans groups.
At the federal level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently announced a public awareness campaign targeting people who may have contracted hepatitis C through a blood transfusion prior to 1990. Under this initiative, blood banks and hospitals are encouraging people who received a blood transfusion between 1988 and 1990 to visit their doctor to get tested. In addition, the American Medical Association developed a hepatitis C educational curriculum for physicians.
(Illinois Hepatitis C Coalition, 800/437-2352)