title: Effect of healthcare insurance policy on the quality of life of chronic hepatitis C patients receiving interferon α-2a plus ribavirin therapy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pegylated interferon α-2a plus ribavirin therapy on the quality of life (QOL) of chronic hepatitis C patients when this treatment was paid for by healthcare insurance. The QOL questionnaire (GQOLI-74) was used to assess patient QOL. A total of 42 cases received 1-year pegylated interferon α-2a plus ribavirin treatment paid for by Guangzhou Medical Insurance (group A), and 30 cases received treatment self-subsidized by the patients themselves (group B). Another 30 patients did not receive interferon therapy (group C). All groups completed the evaluation twice; prior to interferon treatment (T0) and at the end of treatment (T1). There was no statistically significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). At T1, patients in group A had higher scores for each questionnaire dimension and a higher total score than those of group C (P<0.05). Patients in group B also had higher scores than those of group C (P<0.05), except for material well-being (P=0.305). Compared with group B, patients in group A had higher scores for mental function, material well-being and a higher total score (P<0.05). Patients in group A had higher scores for each dimension and a higher total score at T1 than at T0 (P=0.05), while patients in group B had higher scores for physical function, social function and a higher total score at T1 than at T0 (P=0.05). Pegylated interferon α-2a plus ribavirin treatment is able to improve the QOL of chronic hepatitis C patients. Patients whose treatment was financed by medical insurance exhibited increased improvement in QOL compared to those who paid for their own treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, Guangdong,  P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chao-Shuang
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wei-Qiang
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Yu-Bao
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Zhe-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhi-Xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhi-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Gao