Farrukh Iqbal, Iftikhar Ahmad Naru.
Patient’s Perceptions about Hepatitis - C in Islamabad.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;8(2):113-6.

Objective: To assess patient perceptions about hepatitis C. Study Design: Cross Sectional Survey. Place and Duration of study: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and Federal Government Poly Clinic (PGMI), Islamabad from April - June 2011. Materials and Methods: All HCV positive patients currently registered and under treatment from Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Control Program were the study population. 100 respondents in the two selected sites was our sample. A standard questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: Out of 100 respondents, 48% were females and 52% were males. Obtaining multiple responses about perceived causes of Hepatitis-C amongst those who suffer from the disease are unscreened blood transfusions 4.34%, Unsafe dental surgeries 5.21%, unsafe Injection 6.95%, Unsafe Surgeries 6.52%, Common razors by barbers 5.94%, Dirty drinking water 6.52%, un-hygienic food 6.37%, Stomach Disease 5.65%, Shared tooth brush3.62%, Contaminated needle pricks 7.10%, Gram foods 5.43%, Unsafe sexual habits 5.07%, Instrumentation in kidney clinics 5.79%, Working in hot environment 4.34%, Untreated Hepatitis A 5.79%, Worsen form of Hepatitis B 6.88%, Homosexuality 2.17%, Side effect of medicines 6.23%. Conclusion: There is significant lack of knowledge among HCV suffers in our part of the world as shown by their misperceptions about the Causes, Spread Diagnosis and information about the treatment. Common sources that were reported were blood and its products, injections and dental procedures and there were also misperceptions about the spread, like water, sexual contact, from hot and rusty food, working in heat and due to adverse effects of allopathic medicines. There was a low risk perception among the respondents. Most of people come to health facility after getting treatment from some other places, or accidently came to know about their disease. There are no proper procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of the Hepatitis C. This causes an in increase in the spread and prevalence of Hepatitis C.

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