Date of Award
8-2026
Document Type
Independent Study
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MS)
Department
Medical Laboratory Science
First Advisor
Heather Langerud
Second Advisor
Samantha Peterson
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health concern, particularly among marginalized and high-risk populations who experience barriers to timely diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care. Traditional laboratory-based HCV testing often requires multistep workflows and follow-up visits, contributing to delayed confirmation of active infection and loss to care. This literature review examines how point-of-care HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing affects time to diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care compared with standard laboratory-based testing. Evidence from systematic reviews, community-based trials, correctional settings, supervised consumption sites, diagnostic performance studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses indicates that point-of-care RNA testing shortens turnaround times, supports same-day or rapid treatment initiation, and improves engagement across the HCV care cascade. However, implementation challenges remain, including cost, regulatory considerations, workforce training, assay sensitivity limitations, and the need to address social determinants of health that affect treatment completion. Overall, point-of-care HCV RNA testing is a promising strategy for reducing diagnostic delays and improving access to care, especially when integrated into comprehensive, low-barrier models designed for underserved populations.
Recommended Citation
Simpson, Maria, "The Impact of Point of Care Hepatitis C Virus RNA Testing on Diagnosis, Treatment Initiation, and Linkage to Care in Marginalized Populations" (2026). Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects. 6.
https://commons.und.edu/mls-projects/6
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.