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HIV and hepatitis C knowledge among individuals with serious mental illness

Richard W Goldberg1, Stephanie L Tapscott, Christine A Calmes

  • 1University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Baltimore VA Medical Center, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. rgoldber@psych.umaryland.edu

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal
|July 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Individuals with serious mental illness demonstrate strong human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge but a significant gap in hepatitis C virus (HCV) understanding. Further interventions are needed to improve HCV disease-related knowledge in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Mental Health Research

Background:

  • Serious mental illness (SMI) is associated with various health disparities.
  • Understanding of infectious diseases like HIV and HCV is crucial for prevention and management in vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness.
  • To identify specific knowledge gaps regarding HIV and HCV in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 236 participants with serious mental illness.
  • Knowledge assessment through questionnaires on HIV and HCV.

Main Results:

  • Participants scored higher on HIV knowledge (79% correct) compared to HCV knowledge (70% correct).
  • Previous HIV screening was associated with better knowledge of both HIV and HCV.
  • Most demographic variables did not significantly correlate with disease knowledge.

Conclusions:

  • A notable knowledge deficit exists regarding HCV among individuals with serious mental illness.
  • Intervention strategies are recommended to enhance disease-related knowledge for HCV in this population.
  • Targeted educational programs may improve health outcomes for individuals with SMI.
Abstract

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