Baby Boomers At Risk For Hepatitis C

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As a member of the Baby Boomer Generation, we have seen and done so many things our parents never dreamed of doing,  or believed they would see in their lifetime. Our generation, those of us born between 1945 and 1965, saw the first color TV’s, cassette tapes, and the first home computers.  We went through atom bomb drills in elementary school (Really? Hiding under a wooden school desk was going to save us?) We watched as the first man walked on the moon. We were the first to wear pantyhose and mini skirts.  We danced to the Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles. And Baby Boomers are all at higher risk for having Hepatitis C. 

While anyone can get Hepatitis C, more than 75% of adults infected are baby boomers, people born from 1945 through 1965. Most people with Hepatitis C don’t know they are infected. The reason that baby boomers have high rates of Hepatitis C is not completely understood. Most boomers are believed to have become infected in the 1970s and 1980s when rates of Hepatitis C were the highest. Since people with Hepatitis C can live for decades without symptoms, many baby boomers are unknowingly living with an infection they got many years ago. Hepatitis C is primarily spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Many baby boomers could have gotten infected from contaminated blood and blood products before widespread screening of the blood supply in 1992 and universal precautions were adopted. Still, many baby boomers do not know how or when they were infected.

So now that you know we are at a greater risk for having Hepatitis C, what can you do about it. First, ask your doctor about getting tested for HepC. Second, get the facts: What you should know about Hep C and why you should care.

Here are some things you should know about Hepatitis C:

• 3 to 5 million baby boomers have Hepatitis C, yet most don’t even know it
• The CDC is urging all baby boomers to get tested for Hepatitis C (a blood test you can ask your doctor for)
• Hepatitis C is a potentially life threatening liver disease, but if caught in time, Hepatitis C is curable
• Baby boomers are 5X more likely to have Hepatitis C
• If you were born between 1945 and 1965, you’re at a higher risk for Hepatitis C
• Liver disease, liver cancer and deaths from Hepatitis C are on the rise.
• Getting tested can help people learn if they are infected and get them into lifesaving care and treatment.
• Up to 75% of people living with Hepatitis C do not know they are infected
• Many people can live with Hepatitis C for decades with no symptoms.

Be a trend setter in your circle of friends! Ask your doctor to test you for Hepatitis C, and then tell all your friends to get tested, too. It’s a Baby Boomer thing!

I am participating in a VIN campaign for Quest Diagnostics. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Quest Diagnostics and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.