Hep B Trends Falling Short The Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project looks at geographic variations in the prevalence of viral hepatitis across Australia, as well as access to care, to identify priority areas for response. It is a joint initiative of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology, The Doherty Institute and ASHM, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. The project is especially useful because it divides the country up into small areas (sometimes called statistical areas or SAs), meaning that it can be used to pinpoint exactly where and how easily people are being diagnosed and treated across the country. Localised health care and access to treatment for hepatitis B and C is a key objective of recent healthcare reform in Australia and enhancing access to treatment and care is a priority action in both the National Hepatitis B Strategy 2018-22 and the National Hepatitis C Strategy 2018-22 . The Project’s national report on hepatitis B for 2021 has just been published, and it shows some interesting and concerning trends (the report on hepatitis C is forthcoming).
TREATMENT Some people living with hepatitis B require antiviral therapy to prevent disease progression. Nationally, treatment uptake for chronic hepatitis B in 2021 was 12.7%, which is significantly short of the target of 20% set by the National Hepatitis B Strategy 2018–2022. Worryingly, although the number of people receiving treatment has increased over time, the rate of increase has reduced in recent years. Treatment uptake was highest in Public Health Networks (PHNs) in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as in the Australian Capital Territory. Only 13 of the statistical areas (4.4% of those reported) had already reached the 2022 treatment uptake target of 20%. General practitioner (GP) prescribing for hepatitis B treatment was stable in 2021, and 22.2% of people treated for it in 2020 had a GP prescribe at least one of their prescriptions. Figure A 29: Geographic variation in CHB treatment uptake in Greater Adelaide, by PHN and SA3, 2021
Figure A 30: Geographic variation in CHB treatment uptake in SA (other Adelaide), by PHN and SA3, 2021
PREVALENCE An estimated 200,385 people were living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Australia in 2021, representing 0.78% of the total population.
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TRENDS IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS B BY STATE AND TERRITORY
The highest rates, by a significant margin, were found in the Northern Territory (1.73%, more than twice the national average), while Adelaide and Country SA were below the average (with 0.66% and 0.32% respectively).
The statstical areas for Adelaide and South Australia
ABS, Australian Bureau of Statistics. CHB, chronic hepatitis B. PHN, Primary Health Network. SA3, Statistical Area 3. ABS, Australian Bureau of Statistics. CHB, chronic hepatitis B. PHN, Primary Health Network. S Key: Darker shade of blue denotes higher treatment uptake. PHN outlines, names and overall treatment estimates are Key: Darker shade of blue denotes higher treatment uptake. PHN outlines, names and overa denoted in black. Grey areas represent SA3 regions outside the boundary of the PHN, or those with data suppressed denoted in black. Grey areas represent SA3 regions outside the boundary of the PHN, or tho due to low treatment numbers (<6). due to low treatment numbers (<6). Data source: CHB prevalence estimates based on mathematical modelling incorporating population-specific prevalence Data source: CHB prevalence estimates based on mathematical modelling incorporating po and ABS population data. Treatment data sourced from Medicare statistics. and ABS population data. Treatment data sourced from Medicare statistics.
