Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2017

Date of Final Presentation

3-9-2017

Committee Chair

Dr. Pamela Strohfus

Committee Member

Dr. Sara Ahten

Coordinator/ Chair of DNP Program

Dr. Pamela Strohfus

Abstract/ Executive Summary

Background: Over 3.2 million American citizens have been infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is estimated three fourths of this population are from the birth cohort born between 1945 and 1965, otherwise known as Baby Boomers. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2014) recommendations to screen this population at least one-time regardless of risk factors, screening practices in the primary care setting have been suboptimal (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases [AASLD], 2015).

Aim: The aim of this project was to identify barriers to HCV screening of the Baby Boomer population in the primary care setting, improve screening rates, increase early detection, and decrease health care expenditures, resulting in improved quality of life years.

Methods: The project was conducted as a quasi-experimental, one-group, pre-test/post-test education measurement design. A convenience sampling of primary care providers was obtained (n = 16). An education workshop survey was administered to participating primary care providers at Sacramento Family Health Centers to identify barriers to HCV screening within the Baby Boomer population.

An educational workshop was administered addressing CDC (2014) recommended guidelines for HCV. Two months following the educational workshop, a repeat of the initial survey was administered via a web-based survey on Google Documents and data results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Primary care providers (PCP; n = 16) had three main barriers associated with lack of adherence to CDC (2014) recommended guidelines: knowledge deficit (n = 6), lack of time (n = 8), and difficulties with ordering appropriate tests (n = 7). Analysis of data following the education workshop indicated an increase in screening rates from 18% to 26.5% for Sacramento Family Health Centers’ Baby Boomer population.

Conclusion: This project evaluated barriers to adhering to current guideline recommendations for HCV screening of patients within the birth cohort born between 1945 and 1965. Guidelines, time constraints, and inability to properly order laboratory tests were key barriers to HCV screening within the birth cohort. Improving screening rates through educating PCPs identified more chronically infected HCV positive individuals. Identifying HCV positive individuals reduces the financial burden on the healthcare system by connecting HCV positive individuals with early treatment, resulting in subsequent improved health outcomes and increased quality of life (Southern et al., 2014).

Download

Share

COinS