psycho-social stressors among hepatitis C virus patients and its relationship to anxiety, depression and adjustment

Abstract

Background This research aimed to identify psycho-social stressors among hepatitis C virus patients and its relationship to anxiety, depression and adjustment. An Internet-based cross-sectional study was conducted where the available sample was selected from 379 HCV patients and another uninfected sample consisting of 381 respondents, bringing the total to approximately 760 respondents between January 4 and October 28, 2021. Participants completed four self-reported scales. The scales included the psychosocial stressors of patients scale (PSPS), Beck depression inventory (BDI-I), the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and general adjustment scale (GAS). Results The results reveal that there are differences between patients with HCV-positive, patients with HCV-negative and healthy people in the psychosocial stressors in favor of patients with HCV-positive. There was a positive correlation between psycho-social stressors of hepatitis C patients with anxiety, depression, adjustment and age. There were differences between patients with HCV and healthy people in the following variables: anxiety, depression, healthy adjustment, family adjustment, professional adjustment, social adjustment and general adjustment in favor of patients with HCV. There were differences between patients with HCV-positive and patients with HCV-negative in the following variables: anxiety, depression, healthy adjustment, family adjustment, social adjustment and general adjustment in favor of patients with HCV-positive. Conclusions This study recommended that care must be taken in the counseling and psychotherapy of HCV patients to reduce the mental disorders associated with the disease.