Abstract
Median time since onset of injecting was 10years; not chronically infected PWID were younger and had shorter injecting careers than chronically infected PWID. Median EQ-5D was highest for the not chronically infected and the chronic/unaware groups (0.73) compared with the chronic/aware group (0.66). After adjustment for demographic and behavioural co-factors, QoL was significantly reduced in chronic/aware compared with chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.09, p=0.005); there was no evidence for a difference in QoL between not chronically infected and chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.03, p=0.13). Awareness of one's chronic HCV status was associated with reduced health-related QoL, but there was no evidence for further reduction attributable to chronic infection itself after adjusting for important covariate differences.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 460-466 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Hepatology |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 10 Nov 2012 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2013 |
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Keywords
- hepatitis C virus
- HCV
- injecting drug users
- scotland
- quality of life
- infection
- awareness
Cite this
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Decrease in health-related quality of life associated with awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in Scotland. / McDonald, Scott; Hutchinson, Sharon; Palmateer, Norah Elizabeth; Allen, Elizabeth; Cameron, Sheila O.; David J., Goldberg; Taylor, Avril.
In: Journal of Hepatology, Vol. 58, No. 3, 03.2013, p. 460-466.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Decrease in health-related quality of life associated with awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in Scotland
AU - McDonald, Scott
AU - Hutchinson, Sharon
AU - Palmateer, Norah Elizabeth
AU - Allen, Elizabeth
AU - Cameron, Sheila O.
AU - David J., Goldberg
AU - Taylor, Avril
N1 - published - updated
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can significantly reduce health-related quality of life (QoL), but it is not clear if reduction is associated with the infection or with being aware of one's infection status. Understanding the impact of a HCV diagnosis on QoL is essential to inform decision-making regarding screening/testing and treatment. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed QoL in 2898 people who inject drugs (PWID), surveyed in Scotland during 2010 using EQ-5D. Multifactorial regression compared self-reported QoL between PWID who were (i) chronically HCV-infected and aware of their infected status, (ii) chronically HCV-infected but unaware, and (iii) not chronically infected.Median time since onset of injecting was 10years; not chronically infected PWID were younger and had shorter injecting careers than chronically infected PWID. Median EQ-5D was highest for the not chronically infected and the chronic/unaware groups (0.73) compared with the chronic/aware group (0.66). After adjustment for demographic and behavioural co-factors, QoL was significantly reduced in chronic/aware compared with chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.09, p=0.005); there was no evidence for a difference in QoL between not chronically infected and chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.03, p=0.13). Awareness of one's chronic HCV status was associated with reduced health-related QoL, but there was no evidence for further reduction attributable to chronic infection itself after adjusting for important covariate differences.
AB - Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can significantly reduce health-related quality of life (QoL), but it is not clear if reduction is associated with the infection or with being aware of one's infection status. Understanding the impact of a HCV diagnosis on QoL is essential to inform decision-making regarding screening/testing and treatment. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed QoL in 2898 people who inject drugs (PWID), surveyed in Scotland during 2010 using EQ-5D. Multifactorial regression compared self-reported QoL between PWID who were (i) chronically HCV-infected and aware of their infected status, (ii) chronically HCV-infected but unaware, and (iii) not chronically infected.Median time since onset of injecting was 10years; not chronically infected PWID were younger and had shorter injecting careers than chronically infected PWID. Median EQ-5D was highest for the not chronically infected and the chronic/unaware groups (0.73) compared with the chronic/aware group (0.66). After adjustment for demographic and behavioural co-factors, QoL was significantly reduced in chronic/aware compared with chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.09, p=0.005); there was no evidence for a difference in QoL between not chronically infected and chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.03, p=0.13). Awareness of one's chronic HCV status was associated with reduced health-related QoL, but there was no evidence for further reduction attributable to chronic infection itself after adjusting for important covariate differences.
KW - hepatitis C virus
KW - HCV
KW - injecting drug users
KW - scotland
KW - quality of life
KW - infection
KW - awareness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874104840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.11.004
M3 - Article
VL - 58
SP - 460
EP - 466
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
SN - 0168-8278
IS - 3
ER -