Seeing the Unseen

Do you recognize the face of hepatitis C virus (HCV)? It’s changing fast, and many healthcare providers are not aware of the rapidly shifting demographics, or even how their own internal biases may be contributing to the marginalization of some individuals, resulting in healthcare disparities. It’s time for us to see these “unseen” populations and provide them with the care they need.

Choose from these four unique patient profiles to begin exploring who is most at risk for HCV–and why. Please note these are dramatic portrayals and not real patients.

Alyssa is a 29-year-old, single mother with a three-year-old daughter. She lives in urban Atlanta and currently works in a low-income job as a grocery store clerk. Alyssa copes with her stress through alcohol and intravenous substance abuse. She shares needles and has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

Alyssa

Read Alyssa’s story
Mark is a 22-year-old college student at a Minneapolis community college who works as a delivery driver for a local pizzeria. He was recently evicted from his apartment and is now homeless. He’s injecting drugs through shared needles and has HCV but doesn’t know it.

Mark

Read Mark’s story
Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

Phil

Read Phil’s story
Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

Phil

READ PHIL’S STORY
Maria is a 36-year-old mother of four children, all under the age of 10, who lives with her family. She had started selling drugs and was also injecting. Maria was eventually arrested for possession of heroin and is now in prison. She is worried that she contracted something and will now go untreated while she’s incarcerated. She has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

Maria

Read Maria’s story
Alyssa is a 29-year-old, single mother with a three-year-old daughter. She lives in urban Atlanta and currently works in a low-income job as a grocery store clerk. Alyssa copes with her stress through alcohol and intravenous substance abuse. She shares needles and has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

Alyssa

Read Alyssa’s story
Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

Phil

Read Phil’s story
Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

Phil

READ PHIL’S STORY
Mark is a 22-year-old college student at a Minneapolis community college who works as a delivery driver for a local pizzeria. He was recently evicted from his apartment and is now homeless. He’s injecting drugs through shared needles and has HCV but doesn’t know it.

Mark

Read Mark’s story
Maria is a 36-year-old mother of four children, all under the age of 10, who lives with her family. She had started selling drugs and was also injecting. Maria was eventually arrested for possession of heroin and is now in prison. She is worried that she contracted something and will now go untreated while she’s incarcerated. She has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

Maria

Read Maria’s story
Alyssa is a 29-year-old, single mother with a three-year-old daughter. She lives in urban Atlanta and currently works in a low-income job as a grocery store clerk. Alyssa copes with her stress through alcohol and intravenous substance abuse. She shares needles and has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

Alyssa

Person who injects drugs and contracted HCV

Alyssa is a 29-year-old, single mother with a three-year-old daughter. She lives in urban Atlanta and currently works in a low-income job as a grocery store clerk. Alyssa copes with her stress through alcohol and intravenous substance abuse. She shares needles and has HCV, but doesn’t know it.

READ ALYSSA’S STORY
Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

Phil

MSM who injects drugs and contracted HCV

Phil is 35 years old and lives with his roommate in a house just outside of central Philadelphia. He works as a bartender six nights a week and struggles with insomnia and anxiety. He actively injects drugs and has a history of unprotected sex with many male partners. He has HCV and doesn’t know it because he fears the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the past from healthcare workers.

READ PHIL’S STORY

Additional Resources

Transcript

PWID Overview

The epidemiology of HCV infection is changing. Learn about HCV transmission and the goal of achieving elimination.

Watch now

Transcript

Overview of HCV Care in PWID

Learn more about screening and treating people who inject drugs.

Watch now

Transcript

Awareness of HCV within the PWID Community

Understand a patient's experience with injection drug use and HCV.

Watch now
Preview of HCV Reinfection Guide.

HCV Reinfection Guide

Explore how and why HCV reinfection occurs, including potential complications, how it is assessed, and treatment considerations.

Download