Age, ethnicity and proximity to clinic determine retention in care of chronic hepatitis B patients.

Patient retention in care is an essential component of the viral hepatitis care continuum. The aim of this study was to define rates and determinants of retention in care for chronic hepatitis B patients. We used several electronic data sources including patient administrative data, electronic clinical records, laboratory data and electronic prescribing records to examine a multi-ethnic cohort of patients attending a single hepatitis B clinic during a 21-year period. After exclusions, we studied of a cohort of 2,447 patients. Retention in care was 73.2%, 64.1%, 55.6% and 50.3% at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years of follow-up. Asian ethnicity and older age at baseline were associated with lower rates of loss to follow-up. Increasing distance from the patient's current residence to the Liver Clinic was strongly associated with loss to follow-up. Our findings suggest that interventions to maintain retention in care in the United Kingdom should particularly focus on younger patients and on patients with non-Asian ethnicity.