Medical social factors affecting the effectiveness of the treatment of viral hepatitis patients

Abstract

There was performed the analysis of modern epidemiological, social and financial aspects of the hepatitis C treatment. There was considered the influence of some factors on the efficacy of the treatment efficacy, in particular, the genetic status of patients, stage of the disease, the development of side effects and patient compliance with the treatment regimen. Social factors were shown to include also the patient's race, language barriers, being in prison, availability of the treatment. The effectiveness of treatment for this group ofpatients is also influenced by the gender, young age, the presence of mental illness in the patient, drug and alcohol abuse. Financial constraints contribute to the reducing the commitment of the drugs intaking, the deterioration of the health status of viral hepatitis C and B patients, respectively, higher total health expenditure for the health care. There was made a conclusion about the necessity of the work on the formation of the adherence of this category of patients to the treatment, the patient and doctor must work together to make a treatment decision, after careful discussion of the need to comply treatment and risks of side effects, as well as re-infection.