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A Proactive Policy to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis Infection: Five-Year Results for the Subdistrict Model in Thailand

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to ascertain hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infection rates in individuals toward the early initiation of treatment and prevention of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This cross-sectional study was performed on 2084 participants from two subdistricts in Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces, northern Thailand. Screening for viral hepatitis in the general population was conducted at subdistrict health-promoting hospitals in Nong Pa Krang, in the suburb of Chiang Mai city, and Thoenburi, a subdistrict in the rural area of Lampang province, northern Thailand. Ninety-one (4.4%) participants tested positive for either HBV or HCV, with 3.3% of all participants infected with HBV and 1.1% infected with HCV. Treatment follow-up was 29.0% of HBV and 54.5% of HCV. A proactive approach to eliminate viral hepatitis can be carried out at the subdistrict level in Thailand. Success could increase participation in other subdistricts in a cascade-like manner by 2030. The identified factors of success are leadership by the local government supported by the Local Health Fund and Village Health Volunteers.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all participants in this study. We also would like to thank the village health volunteers, public health officers, physicians, and other staff in every province and data center involved in this awareness program.

Funding

This research work was supported by Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, National Health Security Office and partially supported by Chiang Mai University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand

    Vallop Thaineua & Opart Karnkavinpong

  2. Research Center in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Patrinee Traisathit

  3. Faculty of Science, Department of Statistics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Patrinee Traisathit & Pimwarat Nanthaprut

  4. Mayor of Nong Pa Krang Subdistrict, Ministry of Interior, Chiang Mai, 50000, Thailand

    Somkid Lertkietidamrong

  5. Mayor of Thoenburi Subdistrict, Ministry of Interior, Lampang, 52160, Thailand

    Swong Maiton

  6. Northern Thai Research Group of Radiation Oncology (NTRG-RO), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Taned Chitapanarux

  7. Gastrohepatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Taned Chitapanarux

Authors
  1. Vallop Thaineua
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  2. Opart Karnkavinpong
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  3. Patrinee Traisathit
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  4. Somkid Lertkietidamrong
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  5. Swong Maiton
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  6. Pimwarat Nanthaprut
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  7. Taned Chitapanarux
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Contributions

VT contributed in study design, literature search, and the writing of the manuscript. OK, SL and SM: contributed in study design, data collection and reviewing the manuscript. PT and PN: contributed in performed the data analyses and the writing of the manuscript. TC had primary responsibility for literature search, study design, and the writing of the manuscript. All authors have significantly contributed to the study, read and approved the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Taned Chitapanarux.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Thaineua, V., Karnkavinpong, O., Traisathit, P. et al. A Proactive Policy to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis Infection: Five-Year Results for the Subdistrict Model in Thailand. J Community Health 46, 927–931 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-021-00977-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-021-00977-2

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