B-Social
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus on non-clinical (social) harms amongst migrant populations: A qualitative study.
IRAS ID
352848
Contact name
Kathryn Jack
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 30 days
Research summary
In this qualitative study, the researchers will explore the impact of taking antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) on the non-clinical (social) harms experienced by migrant populations living in the UK.
HBV disproportionally affects people in the UK who have relocated from countries where prevalence rates are higher, largely Africa, South and South East Asia, and to a lesser extent Eastern Europe, predominantly due to mother to baby transmission and insufficient access to birth-dose preventative vaccines, healthcare acquired transmission, and poor access to healthcare services. Chronic infection can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and primary liver cancer.
The national and international guidelines for HBV recommend that treatment is initiated according to the physical factors indicating that the person is at increased risk of liver disease. The treatment is not curative, but can suppress the HBV and reduce the associated risks of disease.
Many patients experience stigma and social barriers due to their HBV, including difficulty gaining employment and navigating new relationships. However, the specific role that treatments may have on the non-clinical, specifically social, outcomes has not been specifically unpacked. It is not clear for example, if treatment that leads to an undetectable viral load, considered to be a functional cure, reduces patient’s experiences of felt or enacted stigma, social exclusion or relationship rejection.
People living with HBV who are from global minority populations and aged 18 years and over will be invited to participate in an audio-recorded telephone interview that may take approximately 60 minutes. We aim to recruit up to 30 people, 15 who are taking treatment for HBV, and 15 people who are untreated. The findings from this research will provide evidence to support antiviral treatment initiation in the absence of any physical signs of liver disease.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0268
Date of REC Opinion
5 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion