It is vital psychiatrists take a leading role in screening and treating HCV. Despite the fact that those with severe mental illness also living with HCV have a prevalence of nearly 5%, psychiatric hospitals remain an overlooked setting for patients to be identified and initiated on treatment. Psychiatrists are in an optimal position to actively identify those patients living with both a psychiatric illness and HCV, prescribe DAAs and manage the treatment.
Learning Objectives:
Learners will be able to:
Use current recommendations for when, in whom and how to initiate treatment for HCV, comparing differences in treatment course, effectiveness & side effects between interferon-based & direct-acting antiviral therapies
Recognize the barriers to achieving the World Health Organization’s goal of eradicating Hepatitis C as a public health problem by 2030 and develop strategies to overcome these barriers
Gain the confidence to aggressively identify and treat Hepatitis C in their own practice and to advocate for robust HCV screening and treatment in their communities
