Depression and cigarette smoking independently relate to reduced health-related quality of life among Canadians living with hepatitis C.

Background: Many people living with chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV) report reduced health-related quality of life. The relative contribution of behavioural, psychosocial and HCV disease factors to reduction in HCV health-related quality of life is not well understood. The objectives of the present study were to compare standardized health-related quality of life scores between Canadian HCV patients and age-matched Canadian and American norms, and to examine the relative contribution of biopsychosocial variables (ie, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and depression) to health-related quality of life scores among Canadian HCV patients.