A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study: Understanding the Meaning of Hope for People with Medically Acquired Hepatitis C

Abstract

The impact of hope on chronic illness has long been acknowledged, however the experiences of people with medically acquired hepatitis C have been neglected in the literature. The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of the meaning of hope for people with medically acquired hepatitis C using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith et al., 2009), a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three adults who acquired hepatitis C through blood transfusions and successfully completed antiviral treatment. Five overarching themes were identified and are presented. An interpretation of these Master themes revealed four sources of hope and three pathways to hope suggesting that the meaning of hope for people with medically acquired hepatitis C is a complex, dynamic, and personal process. Implications for future practice and future research are presented.