For friends and family

If you know someone who is, or might be, living with hepatitis it is important to understand that the person may not feel comfortable talking about it.  

It is not unusual for people living with hepatitis to experience stigma and discrimination, which can mean the person is cautious about who they discuss their personal situation with. Hepatitis related stigma and discrimination is often due to people being fearful or not understanding hepatitis. The most common question often asked of people with hepatitis is - how did you get it?
This can be confronting for the person and often has very little relevance to their current situation.

If you would like to be supportive of the person it is good to have an understanding of how hepatitis B or C affects people, how it is transmitted and how it is treated. The two forms of hepatitis are quite different so we suggest you first read the information provided on this website or talk to a hepatitis organisation near you to make sure you are prepared.  You will then be in a position to open up the discussion in a sensitive and supportive manner.

For more information you can call the National Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 437 222