A service evaluation to explore Māori experiences of direct-acting antiviral hepatitis C treatment in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Aims: Hepatitis C, and its associated life-limiting sequalae, disproportionately affect Māori. Despite availability of fully funded effective and well-tolerated oral direct-acting anti-viral agents (DAA), many in New Zealand remain untreated. This service evaluation aimed to explore the experiences of Māori who have received DAA treatment for hepatitis C, and their ideas for service improvement.

Methods: This qualitative service evaluation recruited eligible participants (Māori, 18 years+, DAA treatment since February 2019) through health care providers. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken over the telephone with consenting participants. General inductive analysis was used to generate themes contextualising findings within cultural contexts for Māori, as aligned with Māori methodological research practices.

Results: Twelve participants were interviewed. The physical and mental impact hepatitis C can have, and that treatment with DAA leads to improvement in these domains, were highlighted. Proactivity by health professionals was valued, including the benefit of wrap-around services to keep people connected throughout the treatment journey, with participants articulating the ability to self-advocate when needs were not met by other services.

Conclusion: Findings can be used to enhance the development of further hepatitis C treatment services, based on Māori experiences of treatment and self-identified solutions for improvement in hepatitis C care.