Impact of hepatitis C virus infection on lifestyle.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of the diagnosis of hepatitis C infection on lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking, sports activity and diet.


METHODS
A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was offered to out-patients with HCV infection consecutively attending three clinical centres in Italy.


RESULTS
Of the 275 respondents, 62.2% (171) were male. Mean age was 51 (range 20-80) years. Overall, after the diagnosis of hepatitis C, 74.5% of drinkers had modified (giving up or reducing) alcohol consumption, 21.3% of smokers had modified their habits and 32.3% of subjects who reported sports activity had either stopped or reduced frequency of activity or chose a less fatiguing sport. Sixty-four percent of the respondents reported having modified their diet, most of them on physician's advice.


CONCLUSIONS
After the diagnosis of hepatitis C many patients correctly modified their alcohol consumption and a minority their smoking habits. The reason for reported changes in diet and physical activity needs further investigations.
Scognamiglio
Paola
P
Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive, L. Spallanzani IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, Roma 00149, Italy. scognamiglio@inmi.it
Galati
Vincenzo
V
Navarra
Assunta
A
Longo
Maria Antonella
MA
Aloisi
Maria Stella
MS
Antonini
Maria Giulia
MG
Puoti
Massimo
M
Almasio
Piero Luigi
PL
Ippolito
Giuseppe
G
Girardi
Enrico
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking; D013177:Sports