Evaluation of factors affecting patients' refusal of HCV treatment in a cohort of Egyptian patients.

This article investigates the reasons for refusal of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment with direct acting antivirals (DAAs) among Egyptian patients during a national screening and treatment campaign. Among 220,280 patients who did not initiate treatment, only 84 (0.038%) explicitly refused therapy, primarily due to concerns about treatment safety, especially fear of adverse events (85.5%). Despite 65.4% of refusers expressing trust in DAAs’ efficacy, worries about side effects, unsatisfactory experiences at treatment centers, and preference for complementary and alternative medicine contributed to refusal. The study found no psychiatric morbidity among refusers and highlights the need for targeted health education and improved healthcare interactions to enhance treatment acceptance.