Hepatitis C in Egypt

Although there is an international interest in liver diseases in general and hepatitis C in particular, this interest focuses on the medical dimension only. There is an obvious neglection of sociological studies regarding this issue. For this reason, the study got its significance because liver diseases and hepatitis C in particular, spread severely in the Egyptian society and this, in turn, negatively affects the rates of production and development. Therefore, the study deals with the various dimensions of this disease and its reasons which are deeply rooted in the social and cultural structures of the Egyptian society. In addition, it attempts to discover the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of hepatitis C patients, explore the various factors which help in transmitting the infection, introduce the main negative social and economic effects of hepatitis C, and provide effective solutions that can contribute in putting an end to the spread of this dangerous disease. The analysis depends on social survey and descriptive methodology. Questionnaire/interview is conducted on 257 hepatitis C patients of both sexes who are randomly selected from different social categories.

Autorentext

Dr. Marwa A. Orabi has got a Ph.D. in Medical Sociology and has eight-year experience in teaching sociology in Faculty of Arts, Mansoura University. She is interested in exploring the various social dimensions of health and illness. Among her published researches: "The Social and Cultural Dimensions of Illness: an application on bilharziasis".