Table 2.
Crude Odds Ratios for the Association of Various Factors with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection in Areas of High Prevalence of HCV Infection in the Republic of Korea
| Variable | Cases (n=234) | Controls | Case vs patients-control | Case vs healthy-control | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Patient-controls (n=234) | Healthy-controls (n=234) | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | ||
| Marine occupations* | 26 (11.1) | 16 (6.8) | 3 (1.3) | 1.77 | 0.90–3.49 | 8.67 | 2.62–28.63 |
| History of living in HCV high-prevalence area† | 79 (33.8) | 51 (21.8) | 50 (21.4) | 1.82 | 1.20–2.77 | 1.78 | 1.19–2.67 |
| History of living or working near the sea | 139 (59.4) | 110 (47.0) | 57 (24.4) | 1.69 | 1.15–2.48 | 4.68 | 2.96–7.42 |
| Contact dockworker | 100 (41.7) | 71 (30.3) | 64 (27.4) | 1.81 | 1.20–2.71 | 2.00 | 1.34–2.98 |
| Gastroscopy | 216 (92.3) | 214 (91.5) | 222 (94.9) | 1.15 | 0.55–2.43 | 0.56 | 0.25–1.27 |
| Colonoscopy | 135 (57.7) | 116 (49.6) | 153 (65.4) | 1.44 | 0.98–2.13 | 0.70 | 0.47–1.04 |
| Transplantation | 1 (0.4) | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Blood dialysis | 3 (1.3) | 5 (2.1) | 1 (0.4) | 0.50 | 0.09–2.73 | 3.00 | 0.31–28.84 |
| Transfusion | 64 (27.4) | 78 (33.3) | 13 (5.6) | 0.76 | 0.51–1.12 | 5.64 | 2.97–10.70 |
| Transfusion (before 1990)‡ | 24 (10.3) | 16 (6.8) | 6 (2.6) | 2.00 | 0.50–8.00 | 4.80 | 1.83–12.58 |
| Surgery | 152 (65.0) | 144 (61.5) | 81 (34.6) | 1.15 | 0.78–1.70 | 3.84 | 2.47–5.96 |
| Bloody operation | 40 (17.1) | 48 (20.5) | 7 (3.0) | 0.80 | 0.50–1.27 | 6.50 | 2.75–15.35 |
| Needle stick injury | 18 (7.7) | 2 (0.9) | 1 (0.4) | 9.00 | 2.09–38.79 | 18.00 | 2.40–134.83 |
| Acupuncture | 193 (82.5) | 172 (73.5) | 135 (57.7) | 1.96 | 1.17–3.27 | 3.42 | 2.17–5.39 |
| Moxibustion | 114 (48.7) | 87 (37.2) | 75 (32.1) | 1.64 | 1.14–2.38 | 2.23 | 1.46–3.40 |
| Phlebotomy | 106 (45.3) | 78 (33.3) | 59 (25.2) | 1.71 | 1.16–2.51 | 2.35 | 1.58–3.52 |
| Sharing razors | 140 (59.8) | 112 (47.9) | 26 (11.1) | 2.67 | 1.55–4.58 | 9.23 | 5.21–16.36 |
| Using other’s razors | 104 (44.4) | 74 (31.6) | 45 (19.2) | 2.58 | 1.52–4.38 | 4.47 | 2.64–7.56 |
| Using other’s toothbrushes | 43 (48.4) | 34 (14.5) | 36 (15.4) | 1.36 | 0.81–2.28 | 1.21 | 0.74–1.97 |
| Tattoo | 75 (32.1) | 55 (23.5) | 48 (20.5) | 2.05 | 1.19–3.55 | 2.29 | 1.37–3.82 |
| Body piercing | 67 (28.6) | 51 (21.8) | 24 (10.3) | 2.46 | 1.22–4.95 | 4.91 | 2.57–9.39 |
| Nail care in a shop | 24 (10.3) | 10 (4.3) | 13 (5.6) | 2.75 | 1.22–6.18 | 2.22 | 1.01–4.88 |
| Cosmetic surgery by an unlicensed person | 4 (1.7) | 1 (0.4) | 1 (0.4) | 4.00 | 0.45–35.79 | 3.00 | 0.31–28.84 |
| Dental treatment by an unlicensed person | 24 (10.3) | 28 (12.0) | 9 (3.8) | 0.88 | 0.49–1.57 | 2.44 | 1.13–5.31 |
| IV drug abuse | 15 (6.4) | 0 | 4 (1.7) | - | - | 3.75 | 1.25–11.30 |
| ≥4 lifetime sexual partners | 38 (16.2) | 24 (10.3) | 8 (3.4) | 2.00 | 1.05–3.80 | 7.00 | 2.74–17.87 |
| Sexual experience with foreigner | 9 (3.8) | 6 (2.6) | 3 (1.3) | 1.80 | 0.60–5.37 | 2.00 | 0.37–10.92 |
| Condom use | 20 (8.5) | 28 (12.0) | 16 (6.8) | 0.64 | 0.33–1.24 | 1.27 | 0.64–2.49 |
| Imprisonment | 31 (13.2) | 17 (7.3) | 2 (0.9) | 2.08 | 1.07–4.03 | 15.50 | 3.71–64.76 |
Data are presented as number (%).
OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; IV, intravenous.
*
Fishers, sailors, and dockworkers;
†
Busan: Jung-gu, Seo-gu; Gyeongnam: Namhae, Sacheon, Geoje, Tongyeong; Jeonnam: Mokpo, Shinan, and Jindo;
‡
Blood transfusions before 1990 were compared to patients who did not receive transfusions.