Hospital stays for hepatitis B or C virus infection or primary liver cancer among immigrants: a census-linked population-based cohort study

摘要

Background: The recent increase in the incidence of primary liver cancer in Canada has been attributed to a higher proportion of immigrants from countries endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). We examined hospital discharges for liver disease in Canada, focusing on those for all liver-related diseases, HBV infection, HCV infection and primary liver cancer, by 3 immigration-related variables: immigration status, duration of residence in Canada and risk level of the source country.