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NY City Council Moves to Require Hepatitis Reporting
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Download the PDF here
Download the PDF here
Summary of Bills, see attachments.
By Dan Goldberg 5:29 a.m. | Apr. 27, 2015
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/04/8566765/city-council-moves-require-hepatitis-report
The city's health department will be required to produce an annual report on hepatitis B and C because of a bill expected to pass the City Council's health committee today, and the full Council on Tuesday.
The bill, co-sponsored by members Margaret Chin, Corey Johnson and Peter Koo, requires the health department to inform the Council as to how many new cases of hepatitis B and C have been reported in the previous year, the top five causes of infections, demographic information of those diagnosed, the number of deaths attributed to the two diseases, the number of pregnant women with hepatitis B-including their race, ethnicity and geographic region of birth-and a list of community outreach efforts targeting hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
"This is an important health issue, especially in the Asian community," Chin said.
Chin represents parts of Lower Manhattan, including Chinatown, where approximately one in 12 Asian-Americans have hepatitis B, and two-thirds of those do not know they are infected.
The health department estimates 100,000 New Yorkers have hepatitis B, which is transmitted through infected blood and other bodily fluids. Most Americans have had a vaccine that prevents the disease, which is why the vast majority of those infected are immigrants.
The health department estimates 146,500 New Yorkers have hepatitis C, which is most often spread by intravenous drug use. Only about half that population knows they are infected, the health department estimates. The highest infection rates are among Hispanic and non-Hispanic blacks, in the South Bronx and East and Central Harlem, according to the health department.
The reporting mandated in the bill will give the city an idea of where to direct its resources, Chin said.
"Anecdotally, we know where it is but it will be great to collect the data so we can continue to advocate for resources and funding to target those communities-to do more education, outreach, to get people to care," Chin said.
Hepatitis has been one of the health department's top priorities, and there is evidence that its education and awareness campaign has produced results.
There were 6,822 newly reported cases of hepatitis C in 2013, a near 30 percent drop from 2010, according to a report from the city's health department.
Knowing the campaigns work is only useful if the city knows where to direct those campaigns, said Dr. Perry Pong, chief medical officer at the Charles B. Wang community health center, which is why he said the bill is so important.
"It will help to coordinate all the various efforts to diagnose, treat, link people to treatment," he said. "A more coordinated response is warranted."
The cost of the additional reporting has not been estimated, Chin said, but the bill could pay for itself over the long term if the city is able to find and treat people with hepatitis.
"Otherwise it could get worse," Chin said. "It could turn into liver cancer, which is going to cost more money down the road."
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