Age, ethnicity and proximity to clinic determine retention in care of chronic hepatitis B patients

There is emerging evidence about rates and determinants of linkage to care for HBV-diagnosed patients.1 However, to date, little attention has been paid to the important issue of CHB (chronic hepatitis B) patient retention in the outpatient setting.2 In western centres, most CHB patients are first-generation migrants from countries of high HBV prevalence. Adherence with long-term follow-up may differ between ethnic groups. Also, infection is frequently diagnosed at a young age which is known to be associated with higher risk of loss to follow-up of many conditions. The aim of our study was to examine, in a large multi-ethnic cohort attending a single specialist CHB clinic, the rate and determinants of patient loss to outpatient follow-up. The adult HBV population…