Table 2 Proportion of Correct Responses to Questions about Hepatitis C: Non-Injectors and Injectorsa
| Â | Non-Injectors (N = 121) | Injectors (N = 159) | All Patients (N = 280) |
|---|---|---|---|
1. You can get the hepatitis C virus by using a hepatitis C infected person's razor.* | 73.6 | 84.3 | 79.6 |
2. If you have hepatitis C, drinking a few glasses of wine every day won't hurt your liver. | 74.4 | 81.1 | 78.2 |
3. Hepatitis C can be spread when injection drug users share their rinse water.*** | 61.2 | 85.5 | 75.0 |
4. If a person's liver function tests are normal, the person definitely doesn't have hepatitis C. | 66.1 | 75.5 | 71.4 |
5. Hepatitis C infected clients should get vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. | 68.6 | 71.7 | 70.4 |
6. You'll probably get hepatitis C if you eat food from a plate that wasn't cleaned well.** | 57.9 | 73.6 | 66.8 |
7. Most new hepatitis C infections are caused by injection drug use. | 65.3 | 66.7 | 66.1 |
8. All hepatitis C infected people will get rid of the virus if they stay on hepatitis C medications for at least one year. | 59.5 | 67.3 | 63.9 |
9. The only way a doctor can really know how much the hepatitis C virus has hurt a person's liver is by doing a liver biopsy. | 62.8 | 63.5 | 63.2 |
10. Hepatitis C is mostly spread through risky sex.*** | 48.8 | 74.2 | 63.2 |
11. When people share needles, it's easier to get HIV than hepatitis C.** | 47.9 | 65.4 | 57.9 |
12. You should never take medications for hepatitis C if you have HIV. | 49.6 | 57.2 | 53.9 |
13. Although the risk is low, it is possible to get hepatitis C by sharing pipes when smoking drugs. | 54.5 | 52.8 | 53.6 |
14. Drug users must stop taking methadone before starting HCV medication.*** | 40.5 | 62.9 | 53.2 |
15. There is a vaccine that protects against hepatitis C.*** | 38.8 | 60.4 | 51.1 |
16. Medication to treat hepatitis C can work in active drug users. | 45.5 | 39.0 | 41.8 |
17. If you take medications for hepatitis C, you need to take them for many years.** | 28.9 | 44.0 | 37.5 |
18. Bleaching needles is a good way for injection drug users to avoid getting HCV.* | 38.8 | 25.8 | 31.4 |
19. Most people who have hepatitis C will get serious liver disease. | 16.5 | 19.5 | 18.2 |
20. Some people infected with HCV can get rid of it without needing to take any medications.* | 7.4 | 17.6 | 13.2 |