Hep C Treatment Barriers for Aboriginal People in Remote SA The introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications offers the chance to completely eliminate the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Across the world, however, there is a clear disparity in HCV outcomes within Indigenous populations, and in Australia, the rate of infections within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is increasing.
Islander Peoples in Rural South Australia: A Service Providers’ Perspective, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in March 2023.
A new study--believed to be the first published research incorporating a systematic review to explicitly examine the barriers and enablers to diagnosis and treatment amongst rural Indigenous peoples living with HCV in Australia--has looked at what specific problems Indigenous people living in rural South Australia are encountering. The study, Barriers and Facilitators to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
providers. Continued efforts to facilitate the uptake of DAA medications for Aboriginal peoples in rural and remote areas should use a multifaceted approach to provide education to clinicians and the community, increasing HCV knowledge and cultural awareness, and aiding in reducing stigma and discrimination.
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The study found that key implications for public health policy include emphasising culturally appropriate HCV education for clients, the community, and health service
In Australia, HCV remains one of the most commonly notified diseases, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples