title: Hepatitis C in Intravenous Drug Users: Study of Obstacles and Facilitators to Access to Health Care and Services
abstract: Objective: The study was designed to document the experiences of people affected by hepatitis C with respect to prevention, screening and treatment to more clearly understand the determinants of health trajectories and access to the health system.Methods: Based on an evaluative research, we conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of four focus group interviews with people affected by hepatitis C. Two interviews (n = 3) consisted of people at risk of contracting hepatitis C, the third interview (n = 6) concerned people diagnosed HCV positive but not treated and the fourth interview (n = 6) targeted people who had access to treatment (n = 6).Results: We identified the drivers, barriers and facilitating factors, trajectories of health and care of people affected by hepatitis C in two periods of life: from the injection to HCV screening and from HCV diagnosis to treatment. Life trajectories in relation to hepatitis C are the product of many influences: the personal life experience, the attitude of healthcare staff, the organization of the health system and contingent factors.Conclusion: Understanding the life experience of people affected by hepatitis C is essential to identify potential levers of change and new ways to organize the health system in order to more effectively reach these people.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Genviève
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Giraud
authors.forename: Kristel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boisvert
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rietmann
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brousselle
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D011792:Quebec; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*