Quality of life in Hepatitis C virus infection: assessment of rural patients living in north-western New South Wales.

Objective: To measure the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of rural Australian Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients living in north-western New South Wales.

Design: A cross-sectional survey, including the Short Form 36 (SF36) questionnaire as well as topics concerning demographic data and items relating to the perceived mode and duration of HCV infection.

Subjects: A total of 80 patients with HCV infection were identified, using non-random, convenience sampling, during October 2004 to June 2005.