Skip to main content

Table 3 Assessment of risk factors

From: Seroprevalence of hepatitis A infection in a low endemicity country: a systematic review

Risk factor

n

Risk Measure

Risk Estimate (95% CI)

Population, Location, Timing of Data Acquisition

Age in years

Study

DEMOGRAPHICS

    

Mean ± SD or (range)

 

Female versus Male

1003

AOR

2.2 (0.8, 6.25)

School-aged children, Canada, 2003

(8–13)

[48]

Female versus Male

3128

AOR

0.8 (0.6, 0.96)

CV or high risk diabetes, Canada, 1993–5

65

[34]

Female versus Male

494

AOR

1.3 (0.8, 2.3)

SY, MSM, IDU, Vancouver, 1998

32 ± 11

[25]

Female versus Male

4158

URR

1.0 (0.9. 1.1) [p = 0.30]*

9 population comparisons from 5 studies

(8–65+)

[31,35,41,49,54]

Urban versus Rural

647

URR

1.3 (1.2, 1.5) [p = 0.59]*

3 population comparisons from 2 studies

(16–76)

[41,46]

Born in high risk country versus born in Canada

494

AOR

2.9 (1.1, 7.6)

SY, MSM, IDU, Vancouver, 1998

32 ± 11

[25]

Born in endemic country versus born in Canada

1003

AOR

22.3 (6.6, 75.0)

School-aged children, Canada, 2003

(8–13)

[48]

Foreign-born versus Canadian-born

353

AOR

6.2 (2.6, 15.0)

Gay men, Montreal, 1995–97

36

[28]

Born in a high-income country versus moderate to low†

492

AOR

20.8 (9.4, 46.0)

Day-care educators, Montreal, 2001

37

[23]

Foreign-born versus Canadian-born

3008

URR

5.7 (3.6, 9.0) [p < 0.01]*

5 population comparisons from 5 studies

(2–69+)

[30,31,49,51,53]

TRAVEL TO HIGH RISK AREA

      

Travel to high risk area versus otherwise

1003

AOR

1.4 (0.4, 4.8)

School-aged children, Canada, 2003

(8–13)

[48]

Travel to high risk areas versus otherwise

407

URR

2.8 (1.4, 5.5)

Canadian-born adults, Vancouver, 2003

(20–39)

[49]

Ever travelled to a developing country‡

492

AOR

2.4 (1.3, 4.2)

Day-care educators, Montreal, 2001

37

[23]

HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES

      

MSM versus heterosexuals

494

AOR

2.4 (0.9, 6.1)

SY, MSM, IDU, Vancouver, 1998

(25–34)

[25]

Sexual partners with VH history versus otherwise

420

AOR

13.8 (4.2, 45.2)

Street youths, Montreal, 1995–6

(14–25)

[30]

Insertive anal penetration versus otherwise

420

AOR

5.1 (1.6, 16.7)

Street youths, Montreal, 1995–6

(14–25)

[30]

History of STD versus no history

500

AOR

2.0 (1.2, 3.3)

Street people, Winnipeg, 1995–6

26 (11–65)

[29]

History of IDU versus no history

494

AOR

6.5 (1.6, 26.3)

SY, MSM, IDU, Vancouver, 1998

(25–34)

[25]

History of IDU versus no history

500

AOR

1.6 (0.99, 2.7)

Street people, Winnipeg, 1995–6

26 (11–65)

[29]

FIRST NATIONS AND INUIT

      

Native versus Non-native

1003

AOR

5.2 (1.0, 26.0)

School-aged children, Canada, 2003

(8–13)

[48]

Aboriginal versus Non-aboriginal

500

AOR

6.6 (3.8, 11.5)

Street people, Winnipeg, 1995–6

26 (11–65)

[29]

Inuit versus white in NWT

708

URR

4.5 (2.4, 8.5)

Inuits, Baker Lake, NWT, 1980

(0.3–86)

[39,40]

4+ versus 1–3 household occupants

635

URR

1.1 (0.98, 1.3)

Canadian Inuit, Baker Lake, 1980

(0.3–86)

[39,40]

OTHERS

      

Years working in day-care, 5-year groups§

339

AOR

1.3 (1.0, 1.8)

Canadian-born day-care educators, Montreal, 2001

34

[23]

History of daycare versus no history

1278

URR

1.2 [0.7, 2.2] [p = 0.30]*

2 population comparisons from 2 studies

8–13

[31,48]

Sewer workers versus controls||

228

URR

1.1 (0.8, 1.4)

Sewer workers, Quebec City, 1993

41 (28–64)

[33]

3+ versus 0–3 siblings

502

URR

2.0 (1.7, 2.5)

Travel clinic, Edmonton, 1991–2

(16–60+)

[54]

Current household income <20,000/yr¶

153

AOR

5.3 (1.2, 24.2)

Foreign-born day-care educators, Montreal, 2001

39.7

[23]

Annual family income <30,000 vs ≥30,000

1057

URR

0.7 (0.3, 2.0)

School-aged children, Canada, 2003

(8–13)

[48]

  1. Abbreviations: AOR adjusted odds ratio. CV cardiovascular. SY street youth. MSM men who have sex with men. IDU injectable drug user. URR unadjusted relative risk. STD sexually transmitted disease. NWT North West Territory. G6 grade 6. yr year
  2. Notes: *Meta-analytical estimates (95% CI) [p-value from a test of homogeneity] from random-effects models. † The day-care educator study included 492 participants, including 339 Canadian-born individuals and 153 foreign-born. The odds-ratio for "born in a high-income country versus moderate to low" was 20.8 (95% CI 9.4, 46.0) for all 492 participants, not reported for Canadian-born, and 4.6 (1.7, 12.2) for foreign-born. ‡ The odds-ratio for "ever traveled to a developing country" in the day-care educators study was 2.4 (1.3, 4.2) for all 492 participants, not significant for Canadian-born (estimated OR not available), and 8.1 (2.3, 29.0) for foreign-born. § The odds-ratio for "years working in day-care, 5-year groups" was not significant for all 492 participants (estimated OR not available), 1.3 (1.0, 1.8) for Canadian-born, and not significant (estimated OR not available) for foreign-born. || Control subjects were outpatients undergoing lipid testing,. ¶ The odds-ratio for "current household income <20,000/yr" in the day-care educators study was not significant (estimated OR not available) for all 492 participants and Canadian-born and was 5.3 (1.2, 24.2) for foreign-born.