CHIEN-HUNG CHENHsu, Nien-TzuNien-TzuHsuI-Chun ChenChang, Te-ShengTe-ShengChangCheng, ShingShingChengCheng, Shi-YannShi-YannChengChen, Hung-MingHung-MingChenHarn, Ming-RongMing-RongHarnLiu, Chen-KouChen-KouLiuYang, Mao-TingMao-TingYangLu, Shih-LungShih-LungLuTseng, Chun-MeiChun-MeiTsengLu, Sheng-NanSheng-NanLu2025-07-012025-07-012024-05https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/730579Background: /Purpose: To achieve the World Health Organization goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, a key strategy in resource-limited areas is to identify the areas with high prevalence and to prioritize screening and treatment intervention. We hypothesized that a hospital-based laboratory database could be used to estimate the township- and village-specific anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence. Methods: Yunlin County Public Health Bureau has been collecting anti-HCV test data from eight major hospitals. Township- and village-specific screening testing rates and anti-HCV prevalence were calculated for residents 40 years or older. A township with a wide range of anti-HCV prevalence rates was selected for outreach universal screening and for validating the village-specific prevalence of anti-HCV in the analysis of the data from the hospitals. Results: The overall anti-HCV screening testing rate in Yunlin County was 30.4 %, whereas the anti-HCV prevalence rate for persons 40 years or older was 15.4 %. The village-specific anti-HCV prevalence rates ranged from 3.8 % to 85.8 %. Community-based screening was conducted in Kouhu Township. The village-specific anti-HCV prevalence rates ranged from 0 % to 18.8 %. Three of the four villages had the highest village-specific anti-HCV prevalence in the community-based study and the hospital-based study. Additionally, 95.8 % of the new HCV cases detected by universal screening received anti-HCV therapy. Conclusion: The hospital-based database provided a framework for identifying the villages with high anti-HCV prevalence. Additionally, community-based universal screening should be prioritized for villages with high prevalence in hospital-based databases. © 2024 Formosan Medical AssociationenCommunityEliminationHepatitis CHospitalYunlin county[SDGs]SDG3journal article10.1016/j.jfma.2024.01.00538195318