Author information
1Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
2Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, The Miriam Hospital and Immunology Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
3Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
4Department of Biostatistics and Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
5Department of Epidemiology, George Washington University Milken School of Public Health, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
6Department of Nursing, Yale University School of Nursing, Orange, Connecticut, USA.
Abstract
The prevalence of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection among justice-involved persons is high. The validity of self-reported HCV status in this population has important public health implications, yet has not been studied. Justice-involved persons with HIV from Washington, DC, were enrolled in a study that investigated a mobile health intervention to support HIV treatment. Self-reported and laboratory-confirmed HCV status was compared. Among 103 participants, chronic HCV prevalence was 13%. Positive predictive value of self-reported positive chronic HCV status was low at 55%, and negative predictive value was 98%. Cohen's kappa statistic was 0.60 for agreement. Two women who reported negative HCV status were found to have HCV.