HCV infection is commonly asymptomatic, most people infected with HCV are not aware that they are infected, and most of those who receive a diagnosis also currently cannot reach treatment. Our study, it was aimed to appreciate the rate of anti-HCV-positive patients and the awareness and knowledge of patients about their hepatitis C follow-up or treatment. In this study, we evaluated 56.115 patients who were screened for anti-HCV tests retrospectively. The patients who have positive HCV RNA tests with anti-HCV tests and without having HCV RNA test results were attempted to reach by phone. Anti-HCV positivity was determined in 708 (1.3%) patients. The mean age of 708 patients (Female, n=415;58.6%, and male, n=293;41.4%) was 63 years. Anti-HCV was positive in 708 patients, HCV RNA test was positive in 324 (45.8%) patients and negative in 163 (23.0%) patients. In 221 (31.2%) patients with positive of anti-HCV tests. The distribution rates of the requesting HCV RNA test in departments were: 41.8% in the infectious department, 39.4% in the internal department, 18.8% in the surgery department. Among 324 patients, 65 of them were phoned. Among 65 patients, 14 of them were being treated in another center, 11 of them were treated in our hospital. Among 221 patients who were not tested for HCV RNA 74 of them were phoned. Among 74 patients, 16 of them were being treated in another center and 7 of them were treated in our hospital. We found that the knowledge of physicians about HCV screening and treatment is low in the eradication of HCV. This situation emerged as the most important limitation of the study. Therefore, education programs about the notification of the HCV cases to the doctors for diagnosis and treatment may be beneficial.
Key words: Chronic hepatitis C, awareness, screening
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