Social Support and Adherence for Military Veterans with Hepatitis C
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES:
The
aim of this study was to describe military veterans' experiences of support and how those
experiences influence their decisions to be adherent, during hepatitis C virus
(HCV) treatment.
DESIGN:
A
qualitative phenomenological design was used. Inclusion criteria were veterans 18 years or older, receiving standard
treatment for HCV, able to read, write, and communicate in English.
SETTING:
A US Veterans Administration facility in Texas.
METHODS:
Data
collection consisted of 1-time, in-depth interviews with analysis occurring
simultaneously. Follow-up phone calls with participants verified that the
themes were accurate reflections of their lived experience.
RESULTS:
Because
of the fear of stigma, veterans make
choices about to whom they tell their diagnosis. This limits the circle of
friends and coworkers who could provide support. For some veterans,
family members provide emotional and practical support, but family can also be
a burden. In order to cope with family and treatment demands, some veterans hibernate, whereas others socialize with
friends and coworkers. Some veterans found providers to be supportive, but others
did not.
CONCLUSIONS:
Veterans experience
both supportive and unsupportive reactions from family, friends, and healthcare
providers while receiving HCV treatment. Those reactions either support or
frustrate efforts to be adherent to treatment.
IMPLICATIONS:
In
order to support treatment adherence, healthcare providers need to assess
sources of support, or burden, experienced by military veterans during HCV treatment. When veterans do not have a supportive network, they need to
be encouraged to attend a support group or seek counseling. Support services
need to be funded by the Veterans Administration.
Providers need to practice empathy and caring in order to support adherence
during treatment. Further research is needed on how military veterans manage their health after hepatitis C
treatment, contrasting successful versus unsuccessful treatment outcomes.
- 1Author Affiliations: Clinical Assistant Professor (Dr Phillips) and Associate Professor (Dr Barnes), College of Nursing and Health Innovations, University of Texas at Arlington.
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