title: Psychiatric barriers to readiness for treatment for hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection among injection drug users: clinical experience of an addiction psychiatrist in the HIV-HCV coinfection clinic of a public health hospital.
abstract: Among injection drug users, psychological and psychiatric barriers to readiness for treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection include mood and anxiety disorders, cognitive deficits, temperament disorders, and personality vulnerabilities, as well as ongoing drug use. Many aspects of these barriers can be overcome with direct treatment or social support. To establish effective treatment for HCV infection in this population of patients, it is essential that the patient and providers develop a rapport that allows for active communication. It is also important that the patient make an effort to adhere to the treatment requirements and that the patient receive the appropriate evaluation and management of treatable barriers.
authors.affiliation: Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Jamaica Plain, MA, USA. harriet.scheft@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scheft
authors.forename: Dominique C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Fontenette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D018579:Patient Selection; D010551:Personality; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011570:Psychiatry; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013694:Temperament