Alcohol and other drug treatment experiences of hepatitis C-positive and negative clients: implications for hepatitis C treatment.
To assess whether HCV-positive clients perceive that alcohol and other drug (AOD) staff discriminate against them, this study compared the treatment experiences of 120 HCV-positive clients with those of 120 HCV-negative clients attending the same AOD treatment facility. Despite the overall findings of favourable attitudes of HCV-positive clients toward their health care workers, these attitudes were less positive than those of their HCV-negative counterparts. Clients with HCV also rated their interpersonal treatment by their health care workers less favourably. These findings suggest that HCV-positive clients' attitudes towards their health care workers and their experiences of differential treatment by these health care workers might be a barrier to HCV treatment uptake in AOD treatment facilities.
Brener
Loren
L
National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. l.brener@unsw.edu.au
Treloar
Carla J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires