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Preventing hepatitis C: 'Common sense', 'the bug' and other perspectives from the risk narratives of people who inject drugs

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  • Davis, Mark
  • Rhodes, Tim
  • Martin, Anthea

Abstract

There is little published research about how people who inject drugs are responding to the hepatitis C epidemic. This study seeks to address the prevention of hepatitis C using qualitative interviews with people who inject drugs in London. We explored narratives about risk reduction and hepatitis C in the social and historical context of other risks such as HIV, vein damage and overdose. Themes of the narratives included: the importance of autonomy in the acquisition of safer injecting skills; that safer injection was regarded as 'common sense', normalised and predicated on the risk of HIV; that hepatitis C risk was relativised with HIV risk and thereby seen as less important; and that hepatitis C infection was also seen as unavoidable. These narrative forms represent significant challenges for the management of the hepatitis C epidemic, both in terms of the existing risk reduction efforts designed for HIV and in terms of the articulation of risk reduction for injectors with general public health policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Davis, Mark & Rhodes, Tim & Martin, Anthea, 2004. "Preventing hepatitis C: 'Common sense', 'the bug' and other perspectives from the risk narratives of people who inject drugs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(9), pages 1807-1818, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:59:y:2004:i:9:p:1807-1818
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rhodes, Tim & Zikic´, Bojan & Prodanovic´, Ana & Kuneski, Elena & Bernays, Sarah, 2008. "Hygiene and uncertainty in qualitative accounts of hepatitis C transmission among drug injectors in Serbia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(6), pages 1437-1447, March.
    2. Fraser, Suzanne & Fomiatti, Renae & Moore, David & Seear, Kate & Aitken, Campbell, 2020. "Is another relationship possible? Connoisseurship and the doctor–patient relationship for men who consume performance and image-enhancing drugs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    3. Cox, Joseph & De, Prithwish & Morissette, Carole & Tremblay, Claude & Stephenson, Randolph & Allard, Robert & Graves, Lisa & Roy, Élise, 2008. "Low perceived benefits and self-efficacy are associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection-related risk among injection drug users," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 211-220, January.
    4. Astell-Burt, Thomas & Flowerdew, Robin & Boyle, Paul & Dillon, John, 2012. "Is travel-time to a specialist centre a risk factor for non-referral, non-attendance and loss to follow-up among patients with hepatitis C (HCV) infection?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 240-247.
    5. Gowan, Teresa & Whetstone, Sarah & Andic, Tanja, 2012. "Addiction, agency, and the politics of self-control: Doing harm reduction in a heroin users’ group," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1251-1260.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hepatitis C Risk HIV UK;

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