Effect of Implementation Of Outreach Behavioral Change Program for HCV Elimination
Effect of Implementation Of Outreach Behavioral Change Program for HCV Elimination
Elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the process of stopping sustained transmission of
 viral hepatitis, reducing its incidence to zero and providing access to safe, affordable and
 effective treatment and care for everyone. Consequently, HCV will not be a leading cause of
 mortality (1). The World Health Organization (WHO) called for comprehensive programs that
 enhance access to affordable treatment in developing countries as HCV was considered a global
 public health priority since 2010 and set criteria of elimination(2). A disease is eliminated
 if its controlling efforts are sufficient to prevent an epidemic from occurring in a given
 geographical area and measures must be continued to prevent re-establishment of transmission
 (3) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HCV now surpasses HIV
 as the nation's deadliest blood-borne disease. In addition, the majority of infected persons
 are not aware of their infection as they are not clinically ill and there is no vaccine for
 Hepatitis C. It is well known that the best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding
 behaviors that can spread the disease. (4) This study is a way forward for the elimination of
 hepatitis C from Egypt through applying different public health approaches for motivating
 people and changing villagers' risky behaviors aiming at increasing the number of people
 adopting healthy practices for decreasing the incidence rate of hepatitis in El Othmaneya
 village. The proposed activities along one year were applied for 3575 inhabitants aged more
 than 12 years who were get tested for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibodies. The initiative
 activities were provided by community-led coalition and supported technically by the Egyptian
 Liver Research Institute and Hospital (ELRIAH).
The objective of the outreach village initiative is to capture in more detail the dominance
 of the risky behaviors as well as the level of behavior development and putting adaptive
 motivational strategies aiming at behavior change. In addition, the initiative set public
 health approaches for HCV elimination and evaluate its efficacy in changing behaviors.

 Methodology The initiative was interventional evaluation study which was conducted along 24
 months starting from May 2015 to October 2017.

 Phases of the study:

 The study passed through three phases; first phase pre-interventional assessment of level of
 the recommended behavior development towards eradication of HCV, dominance of current risky
 behaviors and the wrong believes regarding HCV . The second phase included: community based
 interventions and the setting of the educational activation plan for HCV elimination in the
 village and the third was post-intervention evaluation of the change of level of community
 behaviors adoption according to a preset indicators.

 Indicators are the following:

 Awareness:

 1. Using previously used syringes

 2. Sharing shaving equipment, nail cutters or through needle stick injury

 3. Defect in infection control process during sessions for teeth treatment

 4. sharing tooth brush with other family members

 5. It is better for HCV patients to get vaccinated with Hepatitis B vaccines

 6. Using new syringes/sharp instruments which are not used before could reduce the risk of
 becoming infected with HCV

 7. Awareness by the recommended behaviors can limit the complication and propagation of HCV
 infection

 Perception:

 1. HCV is a serious disease

 2. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complication of HCV

 3. Cirrhosis is a complication of HCV

 4. Early diagnosis could make a change in patients' health

 5. Fatigue from least effort is symptom of HCV

 The Attitude:

 1. Asking the barber: to change the shaving tools in front of them

 2. to use their own shaving machine

 3. Checking for sterilized tools at dentist clinic

 4. Telling the dentist if they have/ had HCV

 The tried out / rejected or adopted : Not sharing:

 1. nail cutters and scissors between family members

 2. loofah and sponge for personal cleaning

 3. the use of scarves' pins by the veiled females in the same family

 4. other's shaving tools

 5. others tooth brushes
Inclusion Criteria:

 All village inhabitants starting from 12 years old

 Exclusion Criteria:

 inhabitants less than 12 years old