Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans
Published on: April 28, 2022
Pleasure and guilt: alcohol use and hepatitis C
1London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom. magdalena.harris@lshtm.ac.uk
Abstract:
One hundred and seventy million people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis C. Heavy alcohol use plays a key role in progression of the illness and is a contraindication to hepatitis C treatment. Despite the ubiquity of alcohol in Western society as a marker of celebration and sociability, there has been little research addressing the meanings of alcohol use and the dilemmas involved in ceasing or limiting consumption for affected people. This article fills a gap in the literature by addressing the meanings and practices of alcohol use for people with hepatitis C. Data are drawn from a qualitative study exploring the experiences of 40 people living with hepatitis C in New Zealand and Australia. Participants described a number of tensions and dilemmas involved in their relationship with alcohol, illustrating a complex and under-researched interplay of factors that inform drinking practice.
Related Concept Videos
Hepatitis
Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology
Cirrhosis I: Introduction
Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...

