What does this research mean for the field?

In adults with chronic hepatitis B, liver fibrosis severity is more strongly associated with area-level socioeconomic disadvantage and limited healthcare access than with individual socioeconomic indicators. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate whether individual- and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage are independently associated with liver fibrosis severity in adults with chronic hepatitis B.

September 5, 2026Infectious Diseases of PovertyOpen Access

Liver fibrosis severity in chronic hepatitis B is associated with area-level rather than individual socioeconomic disadvantage: a nationwide multicentre study in Türkiye

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

YÇYeliz Çiçek ŞKŞafak Kaya MÇMustafa Kemal Çelen

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Nationwide multicentre observational study finds advanced liver fibrosis tracks with regional disadvantage rather than individual status in chronic hepatitis B, highlighting healthcare access gaps.

Key Points

To evaluate whether individual- and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage are independently associated with liver fibrosis severity in adults with chronic hepatitis B.
Nationwide multicentre observational study evaluating 956 adults with chronic hepatitis B undergoing routine liver biopsy across 24 centres in Türkiye between 2019 and 2024.
Histopathological liver fibrosis was staged using the Ishak system (0–6) and analyzed alongside structured post-biopsy socioeconomic interviews and province-level Socioeconomic Development Index (SEDI) ranks.
Primary assessment used multivariable ordinal logistic regression, with secondary validation using 1:1 propensity score matching and overlap weighting.
Mild fibrosis (Ishak 0–2) occurred in 73.1% of patients, moderate fibrosis (3–4) in 21.7%, and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (5–6) in 5.2%.
Higher fibrosis stage was independently associated with lower residential development (adjusted OR = 1.97 per one-level decrease in SEDI, 95% CI: 1.82–2.15; P < 0.001) and longer travel time to a care centre (adjusted OR = 1.53 per category, 95% CI: 1.30–1.79; P < 0.001).
Comparisons of the least developed versus most developed provinces (SEDI 6 vs SEDI 1) yielded an OR of 26.00 (95% CI: 8.21–82.37; P < 0.001) in matched analysis and an OR of 24.75 (95% CI: 8.96–68.36; P < 0.001) in overlap-weighted analysis.

Cite This Study

Çiçek et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd4046b95aff0620eb4a6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-026-01497-8

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

September 5, 2026Infectious Diseases of PovertyOpen Access

Liver fibrosis severity in chronic hepatitis B is associated with area-level rather than individual socioeconomic disadvantage: a nationwide multicentre study in Türkiye

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

YÇYeliz Çiçek ŞKŞafak Kaya MÇMustafa Kemal Çelen

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Nationwide multicentre observational study finds advanced liver fibrosis tracks with regional disadvantage rather than individual status in chronic hepatitis B, highlighting healthcare access gaps.

Key Points

To evaluate whether individual- and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage are independently associated with liver fibrosis severity in adults with chronic hepatitis B.
Nationwide multicentre observational study evaluating 956 adults with chronic hepatitis B undergoing routine liver biopsy across 24 centres in Türkiye between 2019 and 2024.
Histopathological liver fibrosis was staged using the Ishak system (0–6) and analyzed alongside structured post-biopsy socioeconomic interviews and province-level Socioeconomic Development Index (SEDI) ranks.
Primary assessment used multivariable ordinal logistic regression, with secondary validation using 1:1 propensity score matching and overlap weighting.
Mild fibrosis (Ishak 0–2) occurred in 73.1% of patients, moderate fibrosis (3–4) in 21.7%, and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (5–6) in 5.2%.
Higher fibrosis stage was independently associated with lower residential development (adjusted OR = 1.97 per one-level decrease in SEDI, 95% CI: 1.82–2.15; P < 0.001) and longer travel time to a care centre (adjusted OR = 1.53 per category, 95% CI: 1.30–1.79; P < 0.001).
Comparisons of the least developed versus most developed provinces (SEDI 6 vs SEDI 1) yielded an OR of 26.00 (95% CI: 8.21–82.37; P < 0.001) in matched analysis and an OR of 24.75 (95% CI: 8.96–68.36; P < 0.001) in overlap-weighted analysis.

Cite This Study

Çiçek et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd4046b95aff0620eb4a6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-026-01497-8

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark