title: Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of patients with chronic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers to care among patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three separate, one-time-only, 60-minutes focus group sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an editing style of analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 13 focus group participants provided 254 discrete comments. Emerging themes included: negative lifestyles/behaviors, lack of CLD knowledge, negative attitudes/emotions, stigma and negativity, health insurance, inaccessible/high cost medical care, drug/alcohol abuse, and discriminately sharing CLD diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants felt lack of CLD knowledge was a key factor in how patients perceived prevention, risks, causes, and treatment. These findings contribute to the important, yet limited, base of knowledge about CLD and provide a benchmark for future, more extensive studies and interventions.
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burnham
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Sherrie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wallington
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Irene A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Jillson
authors.affiliation: World Vision USA, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Holta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Trandafili
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Kirti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. cal9@georgetown.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Loffredo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008019:Life Style; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009341:Negativism; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D057545:Social Stigma; D013997:Time Factors