In honor of Father’s Day, my June HCV Advocate column is titled, Hepatitis C and Men. Here is an excerpt.

In the U.S., men account for two-thirds of the chronic hepatitis C virus infections. Men are more than twice as likely to die from hepatitis C as women are. Approximately 5.4% of U.S. Veterans, particularly from the Vietnam War era, have hepatitis C, tripling that of the general U.S. population. The majority of Veterans with hepatitis C are men.

Hepatitis C and Fatherhood - Although men don’t bear children, they become fathers and grandfathers. Hepatitis C is rarely passed in families, but the presence of children is an opportunity to review hepatitis C transmission and prevention.

One potential risk  associated with fatherhood and hepatitis C occurs during treatment. If pregnancy is a potential issue for your sexual partner(s), be sure that you and your partner use at least two reliable forms of effective contraception during treatment and during the 6-month post-treatment follow-up period.

Hepatitis C and Sex - Sex is fun; hepatitis C is not. Although hepatitis C is rarely passed between long-term monogamous heterosexual partners who are HIV-negative, there are situations in which transmission is risky. Educate yourself about hepatitis C transmission. Practice safer sex, and regularly review safer sex information, even if you think you know everything there is to know about minimizing HCV transmission during sex.

Hepatitis C and Occupational Risks - If you work in an occupation with a risk for blood-to-blood contact, be sure to know what safety precautions are required for your work. Review these regularly, even if you think you know all there is to know about keeping yourself and others safe.

Hepatitis C and Psychosocial Issues - Discussing feelings, symptoms, and side effects are not a sign of weakness; they are information. There are no bad data. Always report thoughts of hurting self or others. Seek medical advice for depression.

Special Populations: Hemophilia, Incarceration and Violence - Know your risk factors. Men are more likely to be exposed to violence, and thus blood. The majority of those who are incarcerated are men. Every year, about 1 in 5,000 males are born with hemophilia. Anyone who received clotting factors before 1987 or a blood transfusion prior to 1992 needs to be tested for hepatitis C. Even if you do not have hepatitis C risk factors, if you wonder if you have a history of exposure based on blood-to-blood contact, it is reasonable to request an HCV test. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis C testing for everyone born from 1945 through 1965.

Click here to read the rest of the HCV Advocate article.

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