Exploring the Perspectives of Unhoused Adults and Providers Across the HCV Care Continuum.
Benissa E Salem, Helena Almeida, Sarah Akure Wall and 4 others
PMID 39246038WHAT IT FOUND
People experiencing homelessness described shame, low knowledge, paperwork, insurance, addiction, and mental health as barriers to hepatitis C treatment.
Providers listed education, housing, encouragement, and medication delivery or appointment accompaniment as supports.
Key findings
01Internal barriers to starting hepatitis C treatment included fear, shame, isolation, low knowledge, and privacy concerns.
02External barriers to linkage included lack of paperwork, insurance, cost, provider access, shelter space, and transportation.
03Facilitators to completing treatment included support, incentives, convenience, encouragement, housing, transportation, and outreach workers bringing medication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The findings come from one Los Angeles neighborhood and may not apply to other settings or regions. The sample included 30 homeless adults and 10 service providers, with more men than women. The small number of service providers limited how deeply provider experiences were explored. Some participants may not have known about available services, which could have shaped their answers. The study reported perceptions and themes, not measured hepatitis C cure, adherence, or treatment outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that a nurse and community health worker hepatitis C program improves cure or adherence. This was a qualitative study of perceptions, not a tested intervention.