“Am I going to die” I have no future.” “I feel depressed at times, fearful I may not see my children marry or be a grandparent.” Such heart-rending statements from patients with chronic hepatitis B reveal the social and mental impact of this disease, which affects 350 million worldwide.In a new study, UCLA researchers measured the effect of hepatitis B on patients’ quality of life — beyond just the physical symptoms of the disease — and created a new tool to better assess patients’ overall well-being, which may help clinicians guide treatment. The study appears in the July issue of the journal Hepatology.
