In out latest article we explore the relationship between hepatitis C cure and how people affected by the virus feel about the cost of and their entitlement to health care.
Our latest article, published in Critical Public Health, explores the use and potential misuse of health data and its effect on people with or treated for hepatitis C.
This week, the GLaD team released their summary report from the project on hepatitis C-related stigma and discrimination in a post-cure world, including 18 recommendations for policy, legal and practice reform. Read more and access the report here.
‘After Cure’ is a new documentary podcast from the post-cure lives research team that explores experiences of hepatitis C in the new treatment era.
What does ‘cure’ mean for people when treatment doesn’t bring about an end to the social effects of a disease? Our latest article explores the afterlives of hepatitis C in the era of cure.
Our latest article investigates the mainstreaming of hepatitis C care – a process known as ‘normalisation’ – and whether it can reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with the virus.
Recently, GLaD reserchers Sean Mulcahy, Emily Lenton and Dion Kagan presented a 3-part showcase of research findings from current projects addressing LGBTIQA+ human rights, hepatitis C data justice, and life after hepatitis C cure. Watch a recording of their papers here.
GLaD research lead Kate Seear gave a keynote presentation at the inaugural Australian Stigma Conference hosted by the Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) in Canberra calling for reform to legal, social, policy and cultural dimensions of hepatitis C in order to better to address the health and human rights of people who use drugs.
The law has the power to shape public understandings of hepatitis C infection, including how people with the virus understand themselves and their ability to avoid the stigma associated with it. The latest article from our project on the experiences of people treated for hepatitis C engages with the challenges posed by laws and policies devised in a pre-cure world.
To mark World Hepatitis Day in 2022, researchers in the GLaD and DruGS programs at ARCSHS got together with CEO of Hepatitis Australia Carrie Fowlie to share and discuss findings from three recent social research projects on hepatitis C. Listen to the conversation here.
We are pleased to announce the next publication from our ARC-funded project, ‘Addressing hepatitis C-related legal, policy and practice discrimination in a post-cure world’. Co-authored
Earlier in 2021, GLaD program researcher Emily Lenton led an article reporting on this work, titled ‘Upscaling HIV and hepatitis C testing in primary healthcare settings: Stigma-sensitive practice’ in the Australian Journal of Public Health.The article was co-authored with Jen Johnson, previously of the BBV Sector Development Program, and Dr Graham Brown. This article focuses on how healthcare settings can support the goal of upscaling HIV and hepatitis C testing in a way that delivers safe and stigma-free testing encounters.
Since late 2019, COVID-19 has been the global health crisis absorbing much of our attention. Efforts to respond to it, including the redeployment of people and resources, have necessarily had impacts on other public health programs and pandemics. The World Health Organization’s ambitious goal to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030 is one program that has been slowed and, in some places, stopped in its tracks by COVID-19.
GLaD team member Emily Lenton recently presented a paper at the 12th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference. Her presentation, titled ‘Hepatitis C testing and gaining informed consent: taking stock and innovating for the future’, was co-authored with the convenor of ARCSHS’ Gender, Law and Drugs program, Associate Professor Kate Seear.
What does life look like for people after they have cleared hepatitis C?
What does life look like for people after they have cleared hepatitis C? Do people whose blood shows no detectable amount of the hepatitis C virus need to inform their doctor or dentist about their previous hepatitis C status? What about prospective employers or insurance providers? Does hepatitis C–related stigma and discrimination remain a challenge for people post-cure? In what ways, and in what settings?
As Australia works towards its ambitious target of reducing hepatitis C stigma by 50% by 2022, it is necessary to investigate and understand the issues that continue to affect people who have – and have been treated for – hepatitis C. One significant example of such issues is the set of laws and policies devised in a pre-cure world that have yet to be reformed since the advent of curative treatments. Do people who had hepatitis C need to disclose this to insurers or prospective employers? And could you be refused employment or insurance on such a basis? Does the fact you once had hepatitis C need to be retained in your medical records? There are literally dozens of questions like these to be asked.
In Australia, a new generation of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C have been rolled out in a globally unique program of
We are excited to announce the publication of the first article from the project, ‘Addressing hepatitis C-related legal, policy and practice discrimination in a post-cure world’.