HEPATITIS B IN A BRAZILIAN DEAF COMMUNITY

INTRODUCTION: Deafness limits access to information on health, increasing vulnerability to diseases. Although the scarcity of studies about viral hepatitis among deaf, research on HIV/AIDS in these populations reveal widespread ignorance about transmission and risk factors. Due to the similarities in transmission, one can assume that the same occurs for hepatitis. This study aims to estimate prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B in a population of Brazilian deaf.

METHODS: members of a deaf community were exposed to a DVD in which they were taught basic knowledge about viral hepatitis, including risk factors and importance of early diagnosis. This DVD was simultaneously translated into Brazilian Sign Language. Those who agreed to participate were interviewed and had a blood sample collected for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc markers .

RESULTS: 88 deaf were studied, 52 men and 36 women, mean age 38.6 (SD = 14.5), median 35 years. Total markers of hepatitis B occurred in 8.0% (95% CI: 2.3 – 13.7), with 2.3% of chronically infected. The main risk factors were injection drug use (4.5%), history of incarceration (4.5%), tattoo (8%), accidental punctures (8%) and multiple sexual partners in the last six months (10.2%). The application of a logistic regression model with adjustment for age and sex showed association between hepatitis B and the following variables: history of imprisonment (OR = 18.6; 95% CI: 1.5 – 240.7) and being born in a state other than São Paulo (OR = 7.2; 95% CI: 1.3 – 40.7).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite being exposed to high risk factors for hepatitis B, deaf showed marked ignorance about the disease. This is probably due to their difficulties in accessing information and health care, making public policies directed to this population critically necessary. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first epidemiological research on hepatitis B among deaf.