Vulnerability and autonomy: obstacles, resources and learning in people living with HIV/AIDS and/or Hepatits C in Argentina

PECHENY, MARIO; MANZELLI, HERNÁN

Bangkok

Conferencia; XV Conferencia Internacional de SIDA; 2004

Conferencia Internacional de SIDA

Background: HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C are both grave diseases, although they have different social meanings. Prevalence of co-infection HIV-HCV is high in Argentina. Pathologies that tend to be chronic, what patients strive to do is to manage their disease, seeking to guarantee the best possible quality of life while living with the pathology. AIDS is the disease that has been the most highly charged with meaning in recent decades, while Hepatitis C has no specific symbolism attached to it - in fact, few are aware that Hepatitis B or C is actually a different ailment from Hepatitis A . Objectives: a) To analyze and compare strategies to manage the illness implemented by people living with HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis C; b) To describe patients´ and professionals´ attitudes and practices related to both pathologies. Hypothesis: Patients, health professionals and the health system neglect hepatitis C as a health problem. This has negative consequences to the quality of life of people living with both pathologies. Methods: Qualitative: interviews with key informants; 30 in-depth interviews with people living with HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, or co-infected; 30 semi-directive interviews with health professionals (on AIDS, on hepatology, nurses, generalists); Ethnograph and manual codification. Triangulation of techniques and data. Results: Both patients and doctors express (with or without concern) that Hepatitis C is not given attention by patients or health professionals. HCV tests are not systematically implemented. People learn that hepatitis C exists only after being diagnosed. Families are not worried about the evolution of hepatitis C, in people co-infected . People seem to be more adherent to HIV ART than to treatments against HCV. Conclusions: Taking into account these findings and the prevalence and mortality data, Hepatitis C should be considered a main priority for public health. Both governmental and non-governmental sector, together with networks of PWA, should develop strategies to secondary and tertiary prevention relating to HCV infection.