AIM: To examine the psychological impact of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) diagnosis in a large cohort of CHC patients as compared with other stressful life events and chronic diseases carrying a risk of life-threatening complications. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-five outpatients with compensated CHC were asked to self-grade, using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS), the degree of stress caused by the learning of CHC diagnosis and the perceived severity of their disease. Diagnosis-related stress was compared to four other stressful life events and perceived CHC severity was compared to four other common chronic diseases. RESULTS: Learning of CHC diagnosis was considered a major stressful event (mean±SD scores: 72±25), significantly less than death of a loved-one (89±13, P< 0.0001) and divorce (78±23, P< 0.007), but more than job dismissal (68±30, P<0.04) and home removal (26±24, P< 0.0001). CHC was considered a severe disease (74±19), after AIDS (94±08, P< 0.001) and cancer (91±11, P< 0.001), but before diabetes (66±23, P<0.001) and hypertension (62±20, P<0.001). Perceived CHC severity was not related to the actual severity of liver disease, assessed according to Metavir fibrosis score. In multivariate analysis, diagnosisrelated stress was related to perceived disease severity (P< 0.001), trait anxiety (P< 0.001) and infection through blood transfusion (P< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results show the considerable psychological and emotional burden that a diagnosis of CHC represents, even in the absence of significant liver disease. They should be taken into account when announcing a diagnosis of CHC in order to reduce its negative effects. AIM: To examine the psychological impact of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) diagnosis in a large cohort of CHC patients as compared with other stressful life events and chronic diseases carrying a risk of life-threatening complications. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-five outpatients with compensated CHC were asked to self-grade, using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS), the degree of stress caused by the learning of CHC diagnosis and the perceived severity of their disease. Diagnosis-related stress was compared to four other stressful life events and perceived CHC severity was compared to four other common chronic diseases. RESULTS: Learning of CHC diagnosis was considered a major stressful event (mean ± SD scores: 72 ± 25), significantly less than death of a loved-one ± 13, P <0.0001) and divorce (78 ± 23, P <0.007), but more than job dismissal (68 ± 30, P < Severe disease (74 ± 19), after AIDS (94 ± 08, P <0.001) and cancer (9 1 ± 11, P <0.001), but before diabetes (66 ± 23, P <0.001) and hypertension (62 ± 20, P <0.001). Perceived CHC severity was not related to the actual severity of liver disease, Metavir fibrosis score. In multivariate analysis, diagnosisrelated stress was related to perceived disease severity (P <0.001), trait anxiety (P <0.001) and infection through blood transfusion (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results show the considerable psychological and emotional burden that a diagnosis of CHC represents, even in the absence of significant liver disease. They should taken into account when announcing a diagnosis of CHC in order to reduce its negative effects.