Hepatitis NSW, July 2022
VitalVoicesOnHepC.org is Australia’s first dedicated website presenting carefully researched personal stories of hep C, treatment and life after cure.
The website has two purposes. Firstly, it aims to support people living with hep C in thinking about and/or having treatment. Secondly, it aims to inform the public about hep C and what can be done about it.
Vitalvoicesonhepc.org sheds light on the stories of people affected by hep C, using original audio, re-enacted video and text clips to present people’s experiences in their own words. What is hepatitis C? How does it feel to be diagnosed with it? What is it like to have treatment and be cured? In addressing these questions, the site informs public discussions of hep C, to counter stigmatising misconceptions, and to promote understanding of living with the virus and its treatment.
Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews, the website presents detailed accounts of hep C, treatment and cure. Also presented are key themes found in the interviews:
- Living with hep C;
- Having hep C treatment;
- Coping with stigma and discrimination;
- Being cured of hep C; and much more.
Vitalvoicesonhepc.org showcases the lives of people affected by hep C, emphasising their significance, complexity and vitality. The website content is based on qualitative research conducted in Australia by researchers from La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), in collaboration with the University of New South Wales’s Centre for Social Research in Health, and other partners.