Pleasure and Guilt: Alcohol Use and Hepatitis C

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.