Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) treatment is still not reaching many Australians despite the introduction of curative direct-acting antiviral agents here in 2016. It is estimated that 129,640 are still living with HCV. If left untreated, at least 25% of these cases will develop cirrhosis, and many will progress to end-stage liver disease and liver cancer.
Why are these people not presenting for treatment? Stigma still represents a key barrier to diagnosis and treatment. Australia’s Fifth National Hepatitis C Strategy 2018–2022 has identified stigma and discrimination as one of five key priority areas for action. This podcast aims to empower GPs to recognise the different ways in which stigma related to HCV infection can present in the primary care setting and consider communication techniques and tools to help overcome this – thereby optimising outcomes for patients with HCV infection.
This program is supported by an independent educational grant provided from Gilead.