No abstract

Psychiatric and substance use disorders are highly prevalent among veterans with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty-five percent have significant symptoms of depression before the initiation of treatment with interferon (IFN). Routine screening for underlying psychiatric and substance use disorders and early treatment intervention before initiating antiviral therapy is essential to prevent worsening of depression and to optimize the outcome of treatment with IFN. Comanagement treatment models involving mental health care may expand the pool of patients eligible to receive treatment with IFN, as well as enhance treatment outcomes.

When screening for depression in HCV patients, questions targeting cognitive and affective symptoms of depression may provide a more valid measurement of depression than questions targeting somatic symptoms of depression, particularly for patients with more advanced liver disease.