June 24, 2013

Patient perspectives on hepatitis C and its treatment

North CS, et al.

North CS, Devereaux R, Pollio DE, Hong BA, Jain MK.

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jun 19. [Epub ahead of print]

aThe VA North Texas Health Care System Departments of bPsychiatry cSurgery, Division of Emergency Medicine dDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center eThe University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Dallas, Texas fThe University of Alabama School of Social Work, Tuscaloosa, Alabama gDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Much of the research to date on barriers to treatment for patients with hepatitis C has approached the problem from either the perspective of the medical provider or the healthcare system.

METHODS: To better understand these barriers from the patients' perspectives, nine exploratory focus groups of patients with hepatitis C (N=48) were conducted in 2008 and 2009, using a hybrid qualitative analysis.

RESULTS: Eight content categories emerged. Treatment-related issues, including barriers to care, were most emphasized, representing nearly one-half of the entire content. Need for accurate disease-related information was also extensively discussed. Social factors were important, including considerable focus on stigma. Participants described coping abilities including faith and perseverance.

CONCLUSION: Areas of concern expressed in these focus groups represent underexplored areas that may warrant additional attention or areas for intervention and investigation, such as exploring differences between perceptions of patients and providers regarding the hepatitis C treatment process and addressing barriers to care.

PMID

23788155 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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