Hepar-C: A cross-sectional study investigating general population knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding hepatitis C screening in the Latium Region, Italy, October 2022 to May 2023.

Objectives: The study aimed to gather information about the target population's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HCV screening to develop effective communication strategies and improve service offerings.

Study Design: This was a Cross-Sectional study.

Methods: A target population random sample was submitted a phone questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (HBF), containing 4 sections on perceived HCV susceptibility and severity, screening benefits and barriers. Each person interviewed was finally invited to adhere to the screening. Prevalence was estimated using a 95 % C.I., and association between sociodemographic characteristics, HBF attitudes, and screening adherence following the interview was assessed.

Results: Survey involved 641 participants. HCV susceptibility was perceived by 4.8 % (95 % CI 3.23-6.57) and HCV severity by 69.4 % (95 % CI 65.83-72.97), 95 % (95 % CI 93.3-96.6) acknowledged screening benefits and 88 % (95 % CI 85.4-90.5) perceived no barriers. Insufficient or no information about HCV or the screening was received by the 49.0 % (95 % CI 45.1-52.8) of people interviewed. Among these people, in the 2 months aftermath, 17.6 % carried out the HCV screening. Perception of screening barriers was associated with low education level (OR 1.83, P = 0.02).

Conclusions: Low adherence to the HCV screening could be explained with a poor perception of HCV susceptibility and gravity by the target population particularly with socioeconomic hurdles. Forthcoming communication campaign would need to focus on those factors to improve adherence.