Influence of healthcare-associated factors on the efficacy of hepatitis C therapy.
Hepatitis C infection is a complex entity associated with sizable morbidity and mortality, with great social and economic consequences that put a heavy potential burden on healthcare systems allover the world. Despite the great improvement of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy and its high clinical efficacy, major influencing factors are still hindering and diminishing the effectiveness of hepatitis C treatment. This minimizes the quality of life of the infected patients and reduces the outcome of such therapy, particularly in certain groups of patients such as intravenous drug users and patients coinfected with human immune deficiency virus (HIV). A variety of factors were evolved either at patient individual level, healthcare providers, community surrounding levels, or healthcare setting systems. Analyzing and understanding these factors could help to improve HCV interventions and, thus, reduce the burden of such infection. The objectives of this paper were to highlight such factors and outline the holistic approaches that could be used to overcome such factors.
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli CC 82664, Libya. madaw@consultant.com
Mohamed A
MA
Daw
Aghynya A
AA
Dau
Mohamed M
MM
Agnan
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications
D000998:Antiviral Agents