HBV AND HCV PATIENTS

Abstract

Objectives: The main purpose of this research was to compare the level ofpsychological distress between HBV and HCV patients and to determine the effect of genderand age on psychological distress. Determine the relationship between coping strategies andpsychological distress. Method: For the present study 100 HBV patients (50 male and 50 female)and 100 HCV patients (50 male and 50 female) were selected. The sample was selected fromLiver Centre, district headquarter hospital Faisalabad. This was a cross sectional study. MHI-38was used to measure the psychological distress and CRI was used to measure the copyingstyles among HBV and HCV patients. Result: HCV patients have higher levels of psychologicaldistress t (198) = 6.54, p< .05 compared to HBV patients. Female hepatitis patients weresuffering from high levels of psychological distress t (198) = 3.90, p < .05 as compared to malehepatitis patients, with male, age is positively correlated with psychological distress, r = .32,p < .01 but with female age is negatively correlated with psychological distress r = -.49, p <.01. Approach coping is negatively correlated with psychological distress in male and femalehepatitis patients, respectively, r = -.45, p < .01 and, r = -.29, p <.01. Conclusion: HCV andfemale patients have higher levels of psychological distress comparatively of HBV and malepatients. Age is correlated with psychological distress. The approach coping styles play animportant role in controlling the psychiatric comorbidity in HBV and HCV patients.