Reaching Syrian migrants through Dutch municipal registries for hepatitis B and C point-of-care testing.

Undetected chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Syrian migrants are the largest non-European migrant group in the Netherlands with HBV and HCV prevalence rates above 2%. This study aimed to reach Syrian migrants for HBV and HCV testing using point-of-care tests (POCT). A multifaceted strategy was employed to reach Syrian migrants aged ≥16 years from two Dutch municipalities for free-of-charge HBsAg and anti-HCV POCT using finger prick blood at the regional Public Health Service. All were personally invited by the Public Health Service by postal mail, based on municipal registry data. Respondents' medical history data were analysed descriptively and data on age, sex, and municipality were compared with non-participating invitees, using Pearson's Chi-square test. Of the study population (N = 832), 32.3% (n = 269) attended the testing. The mean age of participants was 36 years (range 16-70), 59.1% were men, and 66.5% were unemployed. Non-participation was higher in the younger age groups (