The notion of health-related quality of life has undergone a significant metamorphosis during the last 50 years. It is perceived today as subjective assessment of overall somatic and psychical condition of a chronically ill patient as related to his/her expectations. Chronic hepatitis C – the most important hepatic disorder of our times – is a disease associated with worsened quality of life of individual patients. Such assessment is influenced by various factors; instituting treatment which reduces viral replication and response to such treatment analyzed during long-term therapy are the most important ones. The paper discusses a number of problems associated with the quality of life of patients with hepatitis C, with particular emphasis on the changes observed before, during and after the completion of the therapy.

Keywords: health-related quality of life (HRQOL), standard or pegylated interferon alfa therapy (monotherapy or combination with ribavirin), chronic hepatitis C