Primary Care Providers Have a Vital Role in Eliminating Viral Hepatitis in Australia
With effective treatments available to help manage hepatitis B and cure hepatitis C, Australia is leading the way for a future without viral hepatitis, which is the theme of Hepatitis Awareness Week 2018 (23-28 July 2018).
An estimated 237,894 Australians are living with chronic hepatitis B and 177,812 with chronic hepatitis C, at risk of deaths from cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is essential for primary care providers to know the risk factors, test, diagnose and allow early treatment for people living with viral hepatitis to prevent this.
Hepatitis C Cure and Hepatitis B Care
Hepatitis C and hepatitis B generally impact on different communities.
Hepatitis C primarily affects people who inject illicit drugs, or did so in the past.
Hepatitis B primarily affects people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds – particularly those born in countries with moderate to high rates of chronic hepatitis B infection.
Hepatitis NSWÂ has produced flyers to raise awareness about these epidemics and what people can do to reduce their risks and improve their health. The flyers can be displayed at customer service counters, brochure holders and display tables at:
- Community health centres
- Sexual health clinics
- Needle and Syringe Programs
- Public libraries
- Pharmacies
- Doctors surgeries
- Public meetings
- Conferences
- Community events
- Letter box drops in your local area
Tx! MAG Is a Health Promotion Comic All About Viral Hepatitis
Tx! MAG is a health promotion comic book/magazine about viral hepatitis. It is published three times each year.
The latest edition (#29) has a cartoon story about a young Aboriginal couple expecting their first baby – it’s called B is for Baby.
Another story is about a couple of young guys inside prison and B/C coinfection – look for Double Trouble.
This edition has been recently posted out across NSW.
Health workers and agencies in NSW are invited to act as distributors. If you have a standing order, you should have received your free copies.
If you don’t normally receive the cartoon magazine, but want free copies…
Check it out: https://www.hep.org.au/tx-mag/
Order your free copies at: https://www.hep.org.au/order-free-resources/
A Few Little Pills Don’t Cure Everything – Hepatitis C Stigma and Discrimination Survey
New treatments for hepatitis C are great, but they don’t cure user-phobia or stigma. Do you want to know more about the interpersonal and societal effects of hepatitis C?
This UNSW research project, when finalised, should help answer these questions. It will certainly help us all develop better services and programs.
For background and more information visit:
https://csrh.arts.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/stigma-indicators/
You can order free supplies of the booklet My Choice, My Rights. It discusses issues around hepatitis C related disclosure and discrimination. Check it out:
https://www.hep.org.au/product/my-choice-my-rights-booklet/
Click here to order free supplies.
Visit the HealthPathway for Chronic Hepatitis C.
For a list of all localised pathways see:
Mid and North Coast Localised Pathways
Username:Â manchealth
Password:Â conn3ct3d
For further information about HealthPathways email [email protected] or [email protected].