Hepatitis is a health condition that is described as inflammations occurring on the liver tissues. Some of the symptoms associated with hepatitis include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, whitening of the eyes, tiredness, vomiting and discoloration of the skin. Hepatitis may be chronic or acute depending on the duration that it lasts in the body of a patient. Acute hepatitis usually has a high probability of getting resolved on its own with the need to seek medical attention. However, there are cases where acute hepatitis could progress and turn into chronic hepatitis. At this point, failure to seek medical attention for the chronic hepatitis could result in liver failure or scarring of the liver. Hepatitis is most commonly caused by viruses, heavy use of alcohol, infections, toxins, certain types of medications and autoimmune diseases. Viral hepatitis may be classified into five different categories namely type A, B, C, D, and E. The spread of types A and E of hepatitis mainly occur through contaminated water and food. The main channel through which hepatitis B spreads is sexual transmission. Babies may also contract hepatitis B from the mother during the pregnancy period or at childbirth (Durston, 2015). Both hepatitis C and B are commonly passed from person to another through blood infection which could happen due to sharing of things like needles with an infected person. The only people who may be infected by hepatitis D are those that already have the infection of hepatitis B.
Integration of Hepatitis Management Programs in the Community
The integration of preventive and control measures for viral hepatitis into the existing community health programs plays a crucial role in reducing the number of people who may be at high risk of being infected. The introduction of such programs is especially critical in dealing with a public health situation characterized by decreasing health resources and healthcare professionals. The inclusion of hepatitis prevention programs into those of other infectious diseases such as HIV and sexually transmitted diseases is vital towards the realization of a healthy community and a healthy population. Moreover, the incorporation of hepatitis preventive and control measures into community-based programs has always been encouraged and popularized by health agencies, healthcare organizations and public health providers among others (Baldy et al ., 2013). In the previous years, there have been several advocacies supporting the incorporation and overlapping of control measures for various infectious diseases into some programs with a community. A different approach has also been previously introduced with the aim of achieving the integration of viral hepatitis preventive and treatment programs in the community with the HIV awareness programs. This has played a critical role towards the enhancement of the delivery of healthcare services to people in the community especially the poor who are the most vulnerable to most of the infectious diseases.
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These kinds of community-based programs have all also been able to go to the extent of improving the healthcare situation for the patients faced with other multiple risk factors as evident through the implementation of service programs focusing on the treatment and management of drug addiction. In the year 2015, the world experienced about 114 million cases of hepatitis A, more than 340 million cases of hepatitis B and close to 140 million people suffering from chronic hepatitis C. Previously, hepatitis has resulted in over one million deaths in one year where a larger percentage of them occurred from health complications related to liver infections. It is estimated that close to 2,500 people suffer from hepatitis A and resulting in more than 70 deaths in the United States every year (Buffington & Jones, 2015). A large number of people in the living in the European region have been affected by hepatitis types B, and C. Recent finding has been able to demonstrate that an estimation of 13 million people lives with chronic cases of hepatitis B. More than fifty percent of those infected with all types of hepatitis live in Central Asia and Eastern Europe regions.
People infected with hepatitis C are found worldwide, and regions that are most affected include Europe and Europe and Eastern Mediterranean with a prevalence of about 1.5% and 2.5% respectively. The concentration of virus infection of hepatitis C in certain regions and populations where it variation ranges between 0.5% and 1.0%. The influence of from various risk factors associated with viral hepatitis of types A, B, and C involve sexual contact with infected person. The integration of hepatitis prevention into community health focuses on ensuring that public health programs are introduced to protect people exposed to high risks of different other infections such as HIV. Considering the overlapping risk factors associated with infections of viral hepatitis, it is important to introduce preventive programs and integrate them into populations and community health. This integration includes services and health resources that can enhance the situation and condition of the public health. Immunization could be used in the prevention of types A, B, and D of hepatitis whereas chronic medical conditions resulting from viral forms hepatitis may be treated through medications. In case of liver failure arising from hepatitis infection, a liver transplant may be considered as an option (Chlabicz et al ., 2016).
Positive impacts of hepatitis management programs
Positive impacts associated with the introduction of hepatitis management programs in the community have been achieved through the creation of prudent running of diseases control centers. These centers have been operating with specific and clear guidelines from the World Health Organization on effective ways of managing the prevention and control of diseases such as hepatitis, TB, HIV and some sexually transmitted diseases. Community-based programs focusing on the management of viral hepatitis were initially being run in separate centers. Later on, the need to increase awareness regarding this disease and growing concerns about the spread of hepatitis type C during the late 1990s led to the introduction of a new momentum that revolutionized the kind of approaches used in the prevention of viral hepatitis (Buffington & Jones, 2015). Further, the community has been impacted positively by the initiatives aimed at introducing funding and financial assonance to support training and education of healthcare personnel as well as evaluation research and surveillance of viral hepatitis situation. In this way, the community and populations in various regions around the world stand a better chance of obtaining considerable support from organizers and coordinators of viral hepatitis control programs. The carrying out of community-based interferon therapy has proved to be largely beneficial to the community in the prevention control and management of infectious viral hepatitis.
In this case, studies have demonstrated that interferon treatment programs are linked to a considerable reduction of the risk of contraction of hepatitis among people in a given community. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the community-based programs associated with interferon treatment also have their downside in the sense that they have a higher likelihood of bringing about psychiatric complications as well as symptoms related to persistent flu. When compared to other forms of therapy it turns out that the community-based programs associated with interferon therapy require the involvement of subcutaneous injection which is not often recommended for use by people suffering from certain medical conditions such as decompensated cirrhosis (Chlabicz et al ., 2016). To that extent, the adoption and application of the hepatitis preventive and control measures related to interferon therapy are limited to just a certain number of patients who are likely to find it convenient and beneficial rather than the entire population. Particularly, young patients who have infectious viral hepatitis may not be eligible to benefit from community-based interferon therapy since they are highly likely to develop complications.
Risk Factors Associated with the Transmission of Viral Hepatitis
Drug Use
The use of injection drug has been found to be more common among most young people who find themselves incarcerated. Previous studies have also demonstrated that there is a high prevalence of use of the illicit drug among adults who have been arrested for drug-related offenses. For instance, 59% of the prisoners in the custody of the federal prisons and 12% of those in the custody of state prisons were linked with drug offenses in one way or the other over the last one decade. Furthermore, 75% of federal prisoners and 82% of state prisoners were reported to have previously engaged in the use of the illicit drug. It is noteworthy that the use of injection drug and sharing of needles among the inmates is highly risky when it comes to the spread of viral hepatitis (Lama et al ., 2010). Even though several correctional systems provide inmates with programs focused on education and treatment concerning drug and substance abuse, the high demand experience for such services often goes to the extent of exceeding the available program capacity by a considerable margin. Thus, it seems that there are no comprehensive and effective programs directed towards the reduction of the risk of contracting viral hepatitis within the prisons and other correctional facilities.
Use of illicit drug and substance places people in the community at a higher risk of contracting several viral diseases including viral hepatitis. Engaging in risky drug use behaviors such as sharing needles and other equipment used in drug preparation that is likely to subject individuals to body fluids of infected people. There is a high possibility for people taking part in drug abuse to suffer from impaired judgment thus limiting their ability to make the right decisions when interacting with infected with people who are infected with infectious diseases like viral hepatitis. It has been reported that one infected person who injects himself or herself with a needle or drug equipment is likely to share it with about other ten to twenty people who may contract the disease in the process (Durston, 2005). Other than being among the contributing factors towards the spread of viral hepatitis which affects the liver, prolonged use of drug and alcohol could cause direct damages to the liver like cancer of the liver and other chronic liver diseases. Such satiation plays a significant role in underscoring the early detection, control, and treatment of infections related to hepatitis.
Sexual Behavior
The transmission of hepatitis type A may happen through engaging in sexual activity with an infected person. Some of the measures that are typically employed in the prevention of the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases are usually not effective in preventing the transmission of hepatitis A. Vaccination has been found to be to be an effective way of preventing the transmission of hepatitis type A among people who are faced with high risks of infection. Moreover, there is sufficient evidence to link the transmission and spread of hepatitis type B with sexual contact. Centers for disease prevention and control in various countries such as in the United States are usually involved in the collection of detailed information and data associated with cases of the types of hepatitis that can be transmitted through sexual contact (Reker & Islam, 2014). Over the last couple of years, there have been reports and findings linking the viral hepatitis infections with sexual contact with people who are already infected. It has also been found that people with multiple sexual partners are at high risk of contracting and spreading viral hepatitis to others in the community. Presently, sexual activity is ranked as one of the most common causes and risk factors for the contraction and spread of viral hepatitis among people in a given population.
This is an implication that sexual transmission is likely to make considerable contributions towards the overall burden resulting from hepatitis infections in the United States population. All states have been able to introduce laws that are meant to prohibit the occurrence of sexual activities among the people who are residents in correctional centers. Despite having such laws in place, it has been reported that close to 30% of inmates still manage to engage in sexual activities (Lama et al ., 2010). This can also be supported by reports pointing to the outbreak of various sexually transmitted diseases including hepatitis type B and syphilis in prisons and corrective facilities among inmates. Findings of case-control studies have been able to show that a relationship between the acquisition of hepatitis type C infection and sexual contact results from exposure or infection from multiple sexual partners. Surveillance data has also been able to show that close to 20% of people who were diagnosed with the disease of acute hepatitis type C has a history of exposure to multiple sexual partners. Recent research findings have shown that gay men living with HIV are at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis type C if they are exposed to multiple sexual partners (Buffington & Jones, 2015). Considering that vaccinations cannot be used as one of the methods for preventing the spread of hepatitis type C, one the best ways that have been cited in the prevention of this disease is by staying away from behaviors that are likely to facilitate its spread.
Occupational Exposures
The occupation to certain types of occupation such as healthcare professional could expose one to the risk of viral hepatitis especially where there is an outbreak of hepatitis. People working in correctional facilities have previously been able to report injuries related to needles, human bites and other sharp objects as well as exposure to the mucous membrane and skin exposure to body fluids and blood from people who are already infected with viral hepatitis. Such situations usually put such workers at high risk of contracting the infectious types of hepatitis. The occupational transmission and spread of viral hepatitis among people working in various health care or correctional facilities have often been associated with by exposure to mucous membranes as well as percutaneous contact. Limited data and information from correctional and healthcare workers have shown that about 20% of the reported skin contact with blood and body fluids while close to 7% of them reported contact with a mucous membrane or percutaneous exposure (Reker & Islam, 2014).
Several concerns have been expressed by healthcare workers concerning their risks of infection while nursing and attending to patients suffering from highly infectious types of hepatitis. Less than sufficient attention is often given to the chances of experiencing occupational infections by medical workers coming into contact with patients infected with hepatitis type B. The virus responsible for causing type B of hepatitis has been described as one of the significant hazards responsible for the infection and spread of this disease among those people working as healthcare personnel. Different cases have been reported involving a significant number of people working in healthcare facilities being infected with viral hepatitis through coming into contact with body fluids and blood from infected patients. People who are suffering from chronic hepatitis infections are usually exposed to high risk of contracting several other chronic liver diseases that are potentially infectious to healthcare workers offering them with medical attention (Baldy et al ., 2013). The risk of contracting viral hepatitis owing to occupational exposure is mostly influenced by the frequency of mucosal and percutaneous exposure to body fluids or blood from infected patients. Depending on the roles and responsibilities played by a healthcare worker, he or she may be at high risk of infection in the process of caring for a people who have viral hepatitis. Those workers in a healthcare facility performing nursing tasks that involve handling of blood and body fluids from infected patients should be made to undergo vaccination and a measure aimed at protecting them against the risk of occupational infection.
Uncertain Risk associated with Percutaneous Exposures
Percutaneous exposures are normally linked with the potential of transferring infections body fluids and blood in a manner that leads to the transmission of fluid-borne pathogens. Exposure to tattoos and things like abrasions and bites are commonly experienced in many correctional centers, and they have the potential of exposing workers and residents to infections through contact with body fluids. Findings from case-control studies have shown that hepatitis types B and C may not be at the risk of being spread through tattooing. However, findings from studies involving non-institutionalized populations have been able to suggest an increased risk of becoming infected with both hepatitis B and C among inmates who engage in tattooing activities while in prison (Baldy et al ., 2013). Needle equipment as well as several other percutaneous exposures of people who are not vaccinated persons ought to be involved in a series of hepatitis vaccinations. Moreover, Post-exposure prophylaxis ought to be considered concerning any mucous, percutaneous, or ocular membrane exposure to body fluid from an infected person with the determination of obtaining vaccination appropriately.
Conclusion
Based on the information obtained related to various types of hepatitis as a medical condition, it worth noting that the community is always affected in many ways. Thus, it is important for members of the community and different populations around the world to acknowledge and understand the different types of hepatitis that exist, their preventive and control measures, their symptoms as well as the different forms of treatments and therapies available for them. It is clear that hepatitis, in general, has affected a significant percentage of the population across the globe. As such, it critical for community-based preventive and control measures focusing on the management of hepatitis to be cognizant of the extent and magnitude of its spread. This information will be vital in the development and introduction of programs and initiative meant to protect the community from the adverse effects of different types of hepatitis. As has been explored, several positive impacts are associated with community-based programs aimed with the objective of managing hepatitis. Populations and communities in various regions around the world stand a better chance of obtaining considerable support from organizers and coordinators of viral hepatitis control programs. Additionally, several risk factors are linked to the transmission and spread of infectious types of hepatitis. It is clear that use illicit drug and substance places people in the community at a higher risk of contracting several viral diseases including viral hepatitis. Furthermore, sexual contact with infected people places one at risk of contracting viral hepatitis. Other risk factors have been found to include occupational exposures as well as percutaneous exposures.
References
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