Steps of the hepatitis C virus care cascade
| Step | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Total sentenced inmates | Total number of sentenced inmates during the study period |
| 2. Screened for HCV | Number of inmates who requested on-demand HCV screening (via HCV Ab test) |
| 3. HCV Ab positive | Number of inmates with at least 1 confirmed positive HCV Ab test result |
| 4. Tested for HCV RNA | Number of HCV-Ab–positive inmates with at least 1 HCV RNA test |
| 5. HCV RNA positive | Number of inmates with at least 1 confirmed positive HCV RNA test result, indicating chronic HCV infection |
| 6. Linked to care | Number of inmates assessed by off-site HCV care provider |
| 7. HCV infection treatment initiated | Number of inmates who started HCV infection treatment during incarceration |
| 8. Achieved sustained virologic response | Number of inmates who were HCV RNA negative 12 weeks after the end of treatment, indicating cure |
Note: HCV = hepatitis C virus, HCV Ab = hepatitis C virus antibody.