Alcohol and other drug treatment experiences of hepatitis C-positive and negative clients: implications for hepatitis C treatment

Abstract

To assess whether HCV-positive clients perceive that alcohol and other drug (AOD) staff discriminate against them, this study compared the treatment experiences of 120 HCV-positive clients with those of 120 HCV-negative clients attending the same AOD treatment facility. Despite the overall findings of favourable attitudes of HCV-positive clients toward their health care workers, these attitudes were less positive than those of their HCV-negative counterparts. Clients with HCV also rated their interpersonal treatment by their health care workers less favourably. These findings suggest that HCV-positive clients' attitudes towards their health care workers and their experiences of differential treatment by these health care workers might be a barrier to HCV treatment uptake in AOD treatment facilities.