Community support, clinical advice and story sharing were at the heart of an event in July to mark World Hepatitis Day – raising awareness and reducing stigma within the community. 

Hepatitis B and C are blood borne viruses most prevalent in Australia, they are viruses that can cause chronic inflammation of the liver, cirrhosis and increase risk of liver cancer. Hepatitis C is curable with a very tolerable oral medication for 8-12 weeks and hepatitis b is vaccine preventable, and chronic hepatitis b is treatable but should be monitored regularly.

Tina Evans, Clinical Nurse Consultant for Hepatitis C Outreach, said that people who have Hepatitis C often do not clearly present with symptoms. 

“Hep C symptoms are usually not very obvious, or could be dismissed as being caused by something else such as tiredness, sleep problems, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite and nausea.

“If a person experiences stigma or discrimination of any type when access healthcare, chances are they will discharge themselves early from hospital, they won’t follow up with appointments or referrals, or blood tests. 

“Many simply won’t access care at all, sometimes leading to people living with Hep C for years before it is even diagnosed, let alone treated. 

“When a stigma-free environment is created, people feel safe to talk openly about their risks and receive the care that they deserve,” she said. 

Visit these pages for more information on hepatitis

• Hepatitis B (HBV) | Tasmanian Department of Health
• Hepatitis C Virus fact sheet | Tasmanian Department of Health

To access nurse led community clinics run by Statewide Sexual Health Service Hepatitis C Nurses Adriana Trujillo (south) and Tina Evans (North/NW) see: https://tascahrd.org.au/hepatitis-c-clinics/

We wish to thank Mission Health Launceston, TASCAHRD and Tasmanian Users Health and Support League (TUHSL) for their support for this event.