Abstract summary 

Mentally ill persons are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections including hepatitis B and C because of their high level risky behaviors. This study is aimed at establishing the sero-prevalence of hepatitis B and C among the mentally ill individuals (MII) attending psychiatric clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Nigeria since it has not been documented.A total of 350 MII were recruited. HBsAg testing was by immunoassay test strip (Grand Medical Diagnostic R USA) while hepatitis C was tested by commercially prepared kits from ACON, R USA. Healthy adults who presented as donors in the blood bank of the hospital were used as controls.A total of 700 participants including 350 MII and 350 blood donors (BDs) were recruited for the study. The mean ages of MII and control participants were 36.5 ± 12.3 and 31.4 ± 8.3, respectively.The sero-prevalence of hepatitis B and C among patients with mental illness was 10.0 and 12.6%, respectively, as compared to 10.9% and 1.1% of the blood donors. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of HCV among mentally ill when compared with the blood donors (P = 0.001, χ2 = 33.97; OR (CI) =12.44 (5.33-29.03).Mentally ill patients attending UITH were significantly infected with hepatitis C virus. There is need for interventional measures to reduce the prevalence of hepatitis C among the mentally ill population such as health education and early screening of mentally ill in our setting.

Authors & Co-authors:  Durotoye Idayat A IA Issa Baba A BA Fadeyi Abayomi A Yussuf Abdullah D AD Salami Alakija K AK Shittu Olasunkanmi A OA Ajiboye Peter O PO Olawumi Hannah O HO Adegunloye Olushola A OA Nwabuisi Charles C

Study Outcome 

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