May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and we created a list of the four factors/behaviors that increase your risk of Hepatitis C.
- You have had unprotected sex with multiple partners. People can live with Hepatitis C for decades without symptoms which means that many people who contract Hepatitis C don’t know that they are infected.
- You’re a baby boomer. Three in four people with Hepatitis C were born between 1945 and 1965 meaning that it is important to test Baby Boomers Hepatitis C. The high rate of Hepatitis C among this generation is not completely understood.
- You have a history of or are currently injecting drugs. Needle sharing and other behaviors associated with substance use can put you at an increased risk of contracting Hepatitis C
- You got a tattoo or piercing while on spring break Mexico. It may be a fun story to tell your friends, but the CDC recommends avoiding getting tattoos and piercings abroad to avoid coming into contact with an unsterilized needle.
Do any of the above factors apply to you? Give us a call at (515) 248-1595 to schedule your free and confidential Hep C test.
If you are still wondering if you should get tested take this Hepatitis Risk Assesment by the CDC.
