Under construction: The social and cultural politics of hepatitis C in Australia

Hepatitis C is a relatively newly identified but heavily stigmatised disease. The key aim of this project is to investigate the ways in which this disease is being constituted medically, socially and culturally in Australia in order to develop insights into how it might be confronted both medically and socially without further stigmatising those affected by it.

The project will make a major contribution to knowledge about the social and cultural aspects of the prevention of hepatitis C, its management and treatment, and the lived experience of affected individuals. Its aim is to understand better how hepatitis C is conceptualised in Australia and how this informs the clinical encounter, the design and delivery of treatment, and the medical response to chronic symptoms. It will also shed light on how individuals understand and cope will their illness, how they view transmission prevention, and what strategies they use to manage their own health