Management of psychiatric disorders and addictive behaviors in patients with viral hepatitis C in France.
BACKGROUND
Guidelines concerning the management of psychiatric disorders and addictive behaviors in patients with chronic hepatitis C and the conditions of collaboration between hepatogastroenterologists, infectiologists, psychiatrists and psychologists have not been published. This has a negative influence on optimal therapeutic management of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was to describe the current clinical practices for ambulatory management of psychiatric disorders and addictions, and the influence of a possible psychiatric and/or psychological collaboration.


METHODS
A retrospective survey was conducted among 101 clinicians treating patients with chronic hepatitis C. Data were collected from personal interviews with the managing clinicians and from the files of patients with chronic hepatitis C patients who presented psychiatric disorders.


RESULTS
Analysis of the 101 interviews and 598 patient files showed that 19% of patients had not received an optimal treatment for their HCV infection because of a psychiatric problem, and that less than 50% of the managing clinicians were working in collaboration with a psychiatrist or a psychologist. In conclusion, lack of collaboration between hepatogastroenterologists and psychiatrists could be deleterious for the optimal treatment of HCV infected patients. Improvement is required.
Lang
J-P
JP
Pôle de psychiatrie et d'addictologie, centre hospitalier d'Erstein, 13, route de Kraft, 67152 Erstein, France. jp.lang@ch-erstein.fr
Michel
L
L
Melin
P
P
Schoeffler
M
M
Gauchet
A
A
Rousseaux
C
C
Cartier
V
V
Henry
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs