Barriers and Facilitators to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Rural South Australia: A Service Providers’ Perspective

David Lim (), Emily Phillips, Clare Bradley and James Ward
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David Lim: Translational Health Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
Emily Phillips: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Clare Bradley: Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, Toowong, QLD 4066, Australia
James Ward: Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, Toowong, QLD 4066, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: This study explored the barriers and facilitators to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural South Australia as viewed from a healthcare provider perspective in the era of direct acting antivirals (DAAs). Phase 1 was a qualitative systematic review examining the barriers and enablers to diagnosis and treatment amongst Indigenous peoples living with HCV worldwide. Phase 2 was a qualitative descriptive study with healthcare workers from six de-identified rural and regional Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services in South Australia. The results from both methods were integrated at the analysis phase to understand how HCV treatment could be improved for rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Five main themes emerged: the importance of HCV education, recognizing competing social and cultural demands, the impact of holistic care delivery and client experience, the effect of internal barriers, and overlapping stigma, discrimination, and shame determine how Indigenous peoples navigate the healthcare system and their decision to engage in HCV care. Continued efforts to facilitate the uptake of DAA medications by Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples in rural areas should utilize a multifaceted approach incorporating education to community and cultural awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination.

Keywords: hepatitis C; rural; remote; Indigenous peoples; primary healthcare; health services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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