Development of a Patient Activation Toolkit for Hepatitis C Virus Testing

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Universal guidelines recommend hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for all adults.
• Patient engagement is crucial for effective screening and early diagnosis.
• Existing testing strategies may benefit from enhanced patient-facing educational tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptability of a patient activation toolkit designed to encourage hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing.
• To gather patient feedback on toolkit components for refinement and improved effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Development of a patient-facing toolkit including a provider letter, HCV factsheet, and question prompt list.
• Qualitative interviews with 17 adult patients (ages 18-78) using semi-structured guides.
• Direct content analysis to assess material attraction, comprehension, cultural-linguistic acceptability, self-efficacy, and persuasiveness.

Main Results:

• Participants found toolkit materials attractive and persuasive, expressing motivation for HCV testing.
• Suggestions for improving readability and reducing medical jargon were provided.
• Participants discussed cultural acceptability and recommended inclusive language to address HCV-related stigma.

Conclusions:

• The patient activation toolkit demonstrates preliminary acceptability for increasing HCV testing.
• Refinements based on patient recommendations will enhance the toolkit's usability and impact.
• This toolkit holds potential for improving HCV testing uptake in adult populations.