171812 Differences in predicting Hepatitis B knowledge and practices – A pilot study among at-risk Asian American communities in Maryland

Monday, October 27, 2008

Alice Fang Yan, MD , Department of Public and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD
Chiehwen Ed Hsu, PhD, MS, MPH , Preventive Health Informatics and SpaTial Analysis (PHISTA) Lab, UT School of Health Information Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
Guangyu Zhang, PhD , School of Public Health - Epidemiolgy and Biostatistics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Background: Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection is a serious liver disease that, if left undiagnosed or untreated, is associated with a 25% chance of death from cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Many Asian American immigrants are not screened or vaccinated, nor are they aware of the significant risks of hepatitis B.

Objective: To establish a baseline hepatitis B seroprevalence rate and to assess demographic predictors associated with 1) effectiveness of HBV education in terms of HBV knowledge, 2) HBsAg screening results and HBV immunization status, 3) willingness to complete the pre- and post-test.

Methods: A convenience sample of 807 adults from five Asian-American communities were enrolled in a hepatitis B educational program between 2005 and 2006 in Maryland. A pre- and a post-test were conducted before and after the program and participants were provided with free HBV serological screening. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used.

Results: Vietnamese (14%) had the highest infection rates among the five groups. Pre-test scores, race, employment status, and length of U.S. residency were associated with program effectiveness. Age and race were associated with immunization status. Females were 26% less likely to be an HBV carrier than their male counterparts (OR=0.26, CI=0.07 – 0.90). Race, education level, employment status, length of U.S. residency, and marriage status are associated with participants' willingness to complete both the pre- and post-test.

Conclusion: The results render strong support for culturally tailored and gender appropriate interventions for at risk Asian Americans to reduce liver cancer disparities.

Learning Objectives:
1. By the end of the session the participant will know immunization and infection rates of HBV among Asian American communities. 2. By the end of the session the participant will be able to identify independent factors associated with program effectiveness. 3. By the end of the session the participant will be able to understand the association between demographic characteristics and immunization and infection status among participants. 4. By the end of the session the participant will be able to identify factors that influenced participants’ willingness to complete the pre- and post-test.

Keywords: Asian Americans, Hepatitis B

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conceived of the research questions with co-authors and conducted the analyses, interpreted results and wrote the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Hepatitis B Prevention among Asians & Pacific Islanders
See more of: Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of APHA