Abstract

Aim and objectives: The approach to the psychosocial impact of hepatitis C and defining the personal psychoemotional exhaustion syndrome. Material and methods: Analytical study, descriptive, retrospective, designed both from a theoretical part of the specialized literature, and from an applied part based on my own researches, conducted during 2010 – 2016, at local, regional and national level, by various multicentre, cross-sectional, ecological studies about the epidemiology and evolution of hepatitis C. Results: The negative social impact for Romania 604.16 DALYs per 100,000 population, well above the regional average. The psychosocial effects were: damage of the central nervous system, fatigue at one time (between 20% and 80% of patients) and affected QALY. Hepatitis C induces neuro-inflammatory activity and brain dysfunction, manifested in depression or generalized cognitive impairment. The platelet from immune regulatory system, as a largest amount of serotonin, could be a linking element between mental stress conditions, psychiatric or somatic disorders. The platelets count and the hepatic fibrosis stage (severe fibrosis) have a direct correlative link. Conclusions: Stress, linking element in validation of scientific hypothesis: DALY due to hepatitis C is very high in Romania. Risk behavior and social vulnerability, factors which act, simultaneously or independently, both for the onset of hepatitis C and personal psychoemotional exhaustion syndrome. The platelet, link elements between mental stress and the hepatic damage stage, via a bidirectional mechanism, is a hypothesis which requires additional studies. The new syndrome highlights individual psychoemotional potential, as well as personal resilience capacity.

Authors and Affiliations