Knowledge of the association of hepatitis B and liver cancer among Vietnamese- and Cambodian-Americans

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and resultant increased risk for liver cancer disproportionately affect Asian-Americans when compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. We examined data from the 2006 Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Risk Factor Survey to identify the level of knowledge of HBV and liver cancer among Vietnamese- and Cambodian-Americans.

Methods: Surveys were conducted by telephone in 4 U.S. communities. Sampling designs varied by community but in all cases used stratification to target Asian communities. Respondents were asked if people who have HBV were at risk for liver cancer. We used multiple logistic regression to identify variables associated with respondents' knowledge of the association between HBV and liver cancer.

Results: A total of 2,051 persons responded to the survey. Overall, 58% of respondents correctly reported that persons with HBV infection are at risk for liver cancer. Cambodian-Americans, respondents older than 55 years of age, or without a college education were less likely to know that persons with HBV infection are at risk for liver cancer. In contrast, respondents who reported discussing HBV with a healthcare professional were more likely to know that persons with HBV infection are at risk for liver cancer.

Conclusions: Knowledge levels concerning the link between HBV and liver cancer are low among this population, particularly Cambodian-Americans. Healthcare professionals should discuss chronic HBV infection and its long-term consequences in order to bolster testing and vaccination efforts.