Hepatitis C and Interferon alfa use: a qualitative study of experiences reported by outpatients facing side effects

• Grant number: 14/03959-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Egberto Ribeiro Turato
• Grantee: Isabela Dias Fahl
• Host Institution: Hospital de Clínicas (HC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hepatitis C is nowadays a public health issue, affecting a lot of people and being responsible for a significant number of liver transplantations and deaths. The current treatment has as major component Interferon alphas, which side effects include psychiatric issues, such as depression, and are responsible for treatment discontinuation or dose modification, which may adversely affect the prognosis. Knowing this reality, this project aims to: (a) Discuss the psychological meanings given to the treatment with Interferon alpha in the presence of side effects and its relation to poor treatment adherence, assuming that the meanings assigned to Interferon alpha treatment in the presence of side effects would be responsible for significant discontinuation or poor adherence to this treatment ,regardless the doctor's recommendation; (b) (b) Discuss the meanings attributed to hepatitis C, to the side effects andto the need of IFNalpha treatment discontinuation in the emergence of important side effects starting from the assumption made by us that treatment discontinuation necessity may bring emotional meanings attached to feelings of fear or guilt. Thus, the clinical-qualitative methodology will be used, using the technique of semistructured interview with open questions and observation of the interviewee by the interviewer during the interview for data collection. The sample will be closed made by the technique of theoretical saturation. Interviews will be held in the Hepatitis Clinic and in the Psychiatric Clinic, in the Hospital of the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). These interviews will be recorded and later transcribed. For the study of the data collected Qualitative Content Analysis will be used. Thereby, the aim is to find representative passages of the interviewees' speeches that help us understanding the hypothesis presented.