American Indian and Alaska Native People and Hepatitis C
American Indian and Alaska Native people are more likely to acquire acute hepatitis C (HCV) than any other racial or ethnic group in Oregon. This rate is nearly four times higher than the rate in white people as well as in Black and African American people. They also experience some of the highest rates of chronic HCV infection, liver cancer and death.
Cancer Risk
In 2010, American Indian and Alaska Native people had the highest mortality rate of any race or ethnicity from HCV. This rate is more than twice the rate in white American people. American Indian and Alaska Native people also had the second highest rate after Black and African American people of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to HCV in Oregon in 2008–2012.
In 2017, chronic liver disease (CLD) was the fifth leading cause of death in the United States among American Indian and Alaskan Native people. Studies suggest that their course of HCV is often complicated by a high prevalence of other health conditions that can damage the liver, such as alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder and fatty liver disease.
OHA is committed to working with the people of The Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon and urban American Indian and Alaska Native health organizations to address these complex health needs embedded in years of otherization and oppression.
