Knowledge among patients with Hepatitis C initiating on direct-acting antiviral treatment in rural Rwanda

A prospective cohort study

Bibliographic Data

ID19529757
AuthorsDale A Barnhart (0000-0003-0129-0313, Harvard University, corresponding author), Innocent Kamali (0000-0002-7772-6454, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Francoise Nyirahabihirwe (0000-0003-1123-6791, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Carol Mugabo (Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Jean de la Paix Gakuru (Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Mariam Uwase (Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Esdras Nizeyumuremyi (Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Tumusime Musafiri (0000-0001-5863-2818, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Jean de Dieu Gatete (0000-0001-8818-6628, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Jean Damascene Makuza (0000-0002-7904-1256, University of British Columbia), Fredrick Kateera (0000-0002-6363-5180, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima), Bethany Hedt-Gauthier (0000-0002-9689-5413, Harvard University), Jean d’Amour Ndahimana (0000-0003-1455-0268, Partners In Health-Rwanda/Inshuti Mu Buzima)
Year2021
Volume14
Issue1
Pages1953250-1953250
Publication date2021-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Health Action (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1654-9716 • E-ISSN: 1654-9880
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/16549716.2021.1953250
PMID34347569
OpenAlexW3187157597
LanguageEN
References cited25

BACKGROUND: Curative direct-acting antiviral treatment (DAA) has made it plausible to implement hepatitis C elimination interventions. However, poor hepatitis C knowledge among patients could impede the effectiveness of screening and treatment programs. OBJECTIVE: We assessed knowledge on hepatitis C among rural Rwandans initiating DAA treatment for hepatitis C in a prospective cohort. METHODS: We administered 15 true-false statements before treatment initiation and during one follow-up visit occurring either 1 or 2 months after treatment initiation. We assessed the average number of correct responses per patient, the proportion of correct responses to individual statements, pre-treatment predictors of knowledge, and whether post-initiation knowledge was associated with time since treatment initiation, quality of care, or adherence. RESULTS: -value <0.001). Many patients still mistakenly believed that hepatitis C could be transmitted through kissing (66.5%), eating utensils (44.1%), handshakes (34.8%), and hugs (34.8%). Post-initiation knowledge is inversely associated with self-reported quality of care and unassociated with self-reported adherence. CONCLUSION: Although knowledge improved over time, key gaps persisted among patients. Accessible public education campaigns targeted to low-literacy populations emphasizing that hepatitis C can be asymptomatic, has severe consequences, and is curable could promote participation in mass screening campaigns and linkage to care. Visual tools could facilitate clinician-provided patient education

Antiviral treatment · Chronic hepatitis · Cohort · Cohort study · Environmental health · Family medicine · Hepatitis C · Prospective cohort study · Virus · Hepatitis B Virus Studies · Hepatitis C virus research · Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology · Medicine · Internal Medicine · Virology

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