The awareness of knowledge and medical burden of hepatitis C on patients with chronic hepatitis C in hospital

Objective To find out the awareness of knowledge and medical burden of hepatitis C on patients with chronic hepatitis C in hospital. Methods Patients with chronic hepatitis C from 4 hospitals in Beijing, Henan, Jilin and Liaoning province were surveyed by questionnaires,from July to October 2016, to investigate their demographic characteristics, awareness of hepatitis C, as well as medical burdens of hepatitis C. Results A total of 359 cases, including 171 males (47.6%), and 188 females (52.4%), were under investigation, with the average age of (55.1±11.9) years. Among them, only 7.5% correctly answered all questions, 11.1% did not know anything about hepatitis C knowledge, and only 17.8% of the participants answered correctly to all five questions about transmission route of hepatitis C. The correct rate of hepatitis C knowledge in different regions, sex, age, educational level and national chronic hepatitis C patients was different, and the difference was statistically significant, but the difference between marital status, occupation and family per capita monthly income was not statistically significant. And 186(51.8%) participated in the town health insurance and 126(35.1%) participated in the new rural cooperative medical system. For 176(49.0%), the total cost of hepatitis C treatment was more than 30 000 yuan. There were significant differences in the total cost of treatment in different areas and different types of medical insurance. The treatment effect of hepatitis C has no improvement in 120(33.4%), general improvement in 165(46.0%), obvious improvement in 62(17.3%), and only 12(3.3%) recovery. Conclusion The patients of hepatitis C were barely aware of knowledge of hepatitis C. More efforts for hepatitis C education are wanted. There is less cost for treatment in economically disadvantaged areas. New rural cooperative patients with low proportion of hepatitis C reimbursement, and the cost of treatment is high. We should increase the support for farmers and other low income people, and it may help reduce the medical burden.