Hepatitis C patients' self-reported adherence to treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin

Background Prior research on adherence to hepatitis C treatment has documented rates of dose reductions and early treatment discontinuation, but little is known about patients' dose-taking adherence. Aims To assess the prevalence of missed doses of pegylated interferon and ribavirin and examine the correlates of dose-taking adherence in clinic settings. Methods One hundred and eighty patients on treatment for hepatitis C (23% co- infected with HIV) completed a cross-sectional survey at the site of their hepatitis C care.Results Seven per cent of patients reported missing at least one injection of pegylated interferon in the last 4 weeks and 21% reported missing at least one dose of ribavirin in the last 7 days. Dose-taking adherence was not associated with HCV viral load. Conclusions Self-reported dose non-adherence to hepatitis C treatment occurs frequently. Further studies of dose non-adherence (assessed by method other than self-report) and its relationship to HCV virological outcome are warranted.