Yarnin’ about hep C
A
booklet about hep C for Aboriginal people in NSW
This booklet does not aim to replace the advice provided by a doctor or health care worker. If you have hepatitis C (also called hep C), please talk with a doctor about your treatment options.
The content of this booklet is based on information available at the time of publication. The booklet has been produced with the assistance of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC). Special thanks to Dr Anna McNulty for her clinical review of this booklet.
First edition – October 2017 ISBN: 978-0-9585318-2-5
This 4th edition – July 2024
Produced by Hepatitis NSW.
Layout/design by Rhea Shortus.
Aboriginal artwork by Jasmine Sarin.
Thanks to Estelle Wade for facilitating focus testing.
This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study training purposes subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial usage or sale of content or imagery.
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is a sickness of the liver. Your liver is one of the biggest organs in your body. It does many things for a healthy life and it’s important to take care of it. If you have hepatitis, it might increase your risk for other illnesses, such as diabetes.
What is hepatitis C?
Hep C is a virus infection that is easily cured.
The virus lives in blood and if left untreated, can slowly damage your liver.
Some people with hep C can become very sick and may even need a liver transplant.
Toby www.ahmrc.org.au
How do you get hep C?
You get hep C from blood-to-blood contact. The blood from someone with hep C has to get into your blood. Anything that gets hep C blood on it is a risk for hep C. Even a tiny speck of infected blood can pass on hep C.
If you have been at risk don’t be shame … get tested!
High risk
Sharing needles and syringes, or any drug injecting equipment.
Call the Hepatitis Infoline for info about your local Needle and Syringe Program (NSP).
High risk
Backyard and prison tattooing and piercing.
Medium risk
Fights where people have open cuts and blood (e.g. their bloody fist hits your cut eye).
Lower risk
Sharing household things with blood on them, such as razors or nail scissors.
What does hep C do?
Your liver is very important. It cleans your blood (like a sponge). It makes energy from food you eat. It helps you fight sickness.
Hep C quietly damages your liver and after many years the damage can turn into scars. The scars can build up and turn your liver from a soft sponge to a hard stone.
A hard liver can’t filter or clean your blood very well, and it can’t make energy and can’t fight sickness. Because hep C quietly damages your liver there are usually no signs that you have it. You need a blood test to know if you have hep C (see page 10).
Hep C can be cured
Testing for hep C
You need two blood tests to find out if you have hep C.
The first blood test (antibody test) will tell you if you have ever been in contact with hep C. If you’ve been in contact with hep C, the second blood test (PCR test*) will tell you if you have hep C now.
You can get free hep C tests at an Aboriginal Medical Service, Sexual Health Service, doctor’s clinic, or Community Health Service.
* Also called an HCV RNA test.
Dried blood spot test (DBS)
The dried blood spot test (DBS) is a new, free, easy and private way to test for hep C. DBS uses drops of blood from the end of your finger and doesn’t involve doctors or nurses taking blood from veins using a needle and syringe.
The DBS Test has a number of advantages:
needles or syringes
ANTIBODY TEST
THIS BLOOD TEST WILL SHOW IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HEP C (HAD THE VIRUS IN YOUR BLOOD)
ANTIBODY POSITIVE MEANS YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HEP C AT SOME TIME IN YOUR LIFE
AANTIBODY NEGATIVE MEANS YOU HAVE NEVER HAD HEP C
AANTIBODY
ANTIBODY NO MORE TESTS NEEDED
YOU NEED TO GET A PCR TEST TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE HEP C
PCR POSITIVE MEANS THAT YOU HAVE HEP C PCR
PCR TEST
THE PCR TEST SHOWS WHETHER THE VIRUS IS PRESENT IN YOUR BLOOD OR NOT NO MORE TESTS NEEDED GET TREATED SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR, NURSE OR CLINIC ABOUT STARTING TREATMENT
PCR NEGATIVE MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE HEP C PCR
Treatment can cure hep C
If you decide to go on treatment, the doctor will do some tests.
Tests include blood tests and a Fibroscan or APRI* test to see how healthy your liver is.
A Fibroscan is like an ultrasound and it doesn’t hurt. You don’t need to get a liver biopsy to go on treatment.
Hep C is easily cured. Talk to your doctor.
Treatments
: cure 95% of people have few or no side-effects pills only, no injections take only 8 or 12 weeks
can be prescribed by doctors, at the AMS or local clinic, not just hospitals are medications covered under Close the Gap.
Who can get the new treatments?
Anyone over 12 with a Medicare card can get treatment.
Even if you:
have cirrhosis or liver damage
live with mental health issues
inject drugs drink alcohol have been treated before and you got hep C again have been treated before and it didn’t work are in a NSW prison (you can ask to talk with the Justice Health Nurse).
Treatment costs are covered under Close the Gap.
Pills only. 8 or 12 weeks. No injections.
Not enough of our Mob are getting treated. Get yourself treated and make a change.
Where can I find treatment?
Hepatitis NSW has a directory showing doctors, clinics and pharmacies for hep C treatment.
Search to find the directory.
Type in your postcode to find your nearest doctor, clinic or pharmacy or phone the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 803 990 hep nsw services directory
“I am currently on hep C treatment. No side effects. I feel better about myself.” Aboriginal man in custody
Don’t be shame … get help and be game!
Prisons, Juvenile Justice centres and hep C
About 30% of people in NSW prisons are Aboriginal.* In prison, injecting equipment and tattooing and body piercing equipment is often shared. These end up getting shared lots of times and so there is a big risk of getting hep C.
* NSW Aboriginal Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections Framework 2016-2021
Any blood-to-blood contact in prison (such as fighting where there are open cuts and blood) is a high risk of getting hep C. Testing and treatment is available from the the health centre.
To call the Hepatitis Infoline from prison, press 3 on the common calls list.
Too many of our Mob are in prison, so are at higher risk for hep C.
Mums and bubs
There is a 4-6% chance of passing on hep C during pregnancy or birth.
Breastmilk does not pass on hep C.
Mums with hep C are encouraged to breastfeed.
Because hep C is passed on by blood, if a mum’s nipples are cracked and bleeding, she should stop nursing. When her breasts are healthy again, she can resume breastfeeding.
Treatment and sex
Hep C treatment SHOULD NOT be given to pregnant women.
Women should not plan to have a baby during treatment
Pregnancy should be avoided while on treatment.
Talk with your doctor about contraception.
If a women becomes pregnant while on treatment, there would be a discussion about whether to stop or continue treatment.
Men or women who are taking
Ribavirin as part of their hep C treatment should not plan to have a baby during treatment and until 6 months after completing treatment.
How many people have hep C?
Hep C is common - around 230,000 people in Australia have had it.
Hep C is four times higher in our Mob* over 4x
* Data from: Kirby Institute. HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia: Annual Surveillance Report 2018.
Staying healthy
Don’t wait until you get sick to get on treatment.
Talk to a doctor or nurse about getting rid of hep C.
Hep C cure can reduce liver damage and help reverse cirrhosis.
Curing hep C can be a step on the journey to better health.
After curing hep C, think about these tips:
If possible, avoid drinking alcohol.
If you do drink, try to have no more than two standard drinks per day.
Eat a healthy diet: low in fats, salt and sugar.
Exercise daily: walk the dog, ride a bike, go for a run or a swim.
Get vaccinations for hep A and hep B (there is no vaccine for hep C).
Do I have to tell anyone if I have or once had
hep C?
Some people have been treated badly or have been discriminated against because of having hep C.
People might ask if you’ve ever had hep C.
You only have to tell: the Australian Defence Force, if you want to work for them your employer, if you are a health worker doing some surgical procedures, if you have hep C now insurance companies, if you are applying for life insurance
your sporting association, if you are a professional boxer or martial arts fighter the blood bank, because you cannot donate blood if you’ve ever had hep C.
See page 36 for details on calling HALC for legal advice on hep C discrimination.
We offer Friendly support and information about hep C
Up-to-date hepatitis information resources
Hep info packs with cards and comics
Support getting tests and treatment
Linking people with friendly local services
Workshops and group education
Hepatitis NSW membership
Online information and resources
HERE’S HOW TO GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN FILL OUT THIS SURVEY AND YOU COULD WIN A $100 VOUCHER IT'S EASY!
1 FILL OUT THE 2 SURVEY PAGES
2 CUT THESE PAGES OUT OF THE BOOKLET
3 STICK THE 2 SIDES CLOSED WITH STICKY TAPE OR STAPLES (along all 4 of the red edges). MAKE SURE THIS PAGE AND THE ADDRESS ARE ON THE OUTSIDE.
4 PUT IT IN THE POST (no need to buy a stamp, it’s free to send)
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BOOKLET
1 Reading Yarnin’ about hep C was useful for me
2 After reading Yarnin’ about hep C I know more about hep C treatment
3 Reading Yarnin’ about hep C made me think about: (tick as many as you want)
calling the Hepatitis Infoline going to the Hepatitis NSW website at www.hep.org.au
talking to someone else about my hep C
changing my lifestyle (what I eat or drink, or how much I exercise)
making an appointment with a health worker it hasn’t made me think about doing anything
4 How could we make this booklet better?
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU
5 What is your postcode?
6 Please describe yourself: (tick as many as you want)
Person with hep C
Partner, family or friend of someone with hep C
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
Other (you can write your comment below)
Thanks for telling us what you think! Your answers will help us to make our booklets more useful.
7
To enter the draw for the $100 voucher, please give us your name and phone number, email address or prison MIN. This prize offer is for NSW residents only.
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Hepatitis NSW respects your right to privacy. We have a policy and set of procedures on how we collect, use, disclose and hold your personal info. For a copy of the policy, please contact us on 1800 803 990 or visit www.hep.org.au
Contacts
Hepatitis Infoline: 1800 803 990
Hepatitis NSW website: www.hep.org.au
AH&MRC: 02 9212 4777
Call AH&MRC to find your local Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS)
My local AMS number is:
Hepatitis Infoline in prison: press 3 on the common calls list for the Hepatitis Infoline
NUAA: 1800 644 413
NUAA is a peer-based drug user organisation.
HIV AIDS Legal Centre (HALC): 02 9492 6540
HALC is a specialist community legal centre
Hepatitis
