title: Correlates of hazardous drinking among Veterans with and without hepatitis C.
abstract: Hazardous drinking is a major barrier to antiviral treatment eligibility among hepatitis C (HCV) patients. We evaluated differences in substance-related coping, drinking-related consequences, and importance and confidence in ability to change alcohol use among hazardous drinkers with and without HCV (N = 554; 93.5% male). We examined group differences between HCV+ patients (n = 43) and their negative HCV counterparts (n = 511). Results indicate a higher percentage of HCV+ patients report using substances to cope with possible symptoms of PTSD (P < .05) and depression (P < .01), and endorse more lifetime drinking-related negative consequences than HCV patients (P < .01). Furthermore, HCV+ patients place greater importance on changing alcohol use (P < .01) but report less confidence in their ability to change (P < .01). Use of brief assessment and feedback with skills-based interventions to decrease alcohol use may be well-received by HCV+ patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, moser1@partners.org.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oser
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cucciare
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKellar
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weingardt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult