218591 Culturally tailored photonovel development for hepatitis B prevention in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese American communities in Marylnad

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Sunmin Lee, ScD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD
Hyeyeon Yoon, BA , Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Hien Tran, MBA , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD
Hee-Soon Juon, PhD , Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Background: Hepatitis B and liver cancer are extremely serious diseases that affect Asian Americans disproportionately. Ethnic group specific non-traditional educational material is needed.

Objective: To develop culturally tailored photonovels to prevent hepatitis B and liver cancer.

Methods: Findings from eight focus groups with Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans (58 participants) conducted in 2009 were used to create storylines tailored for each group. Each community's input was reflected in storyline, fact boxes, readability, cover, and design. Community-specific settings were used, and actors/actresses were recruited from the community.

Results: Focus group findings indicated that participants' level of knowledge for hepatitis B and screening/vaccination was generally low, but some key barriers to hepatitis B screening/vaccination differed significantly by group. Stigma was the primary barrier for Chinese, heavy reliance on alternative medicine, supplements, and fate for Korean, and believing unlucky to discuss and low perceived susceptibility for Vietnamese. Based on these findings we developed culturally tailored storylines: 1) Chinese group used a young couple hesitating to get married due to hepatitis B; 2) Korean group's main character was middle-aged male dry cleaner owner who strongly believes in supplements and is hesitant to get screened; 3) Vietnamese female nail salon owner believes that it is unlucky to discuss hepatitis B and not necessary to get screened because it will not happen to her.

Conclusions: Culturally tailored ethnic group specific photonovel may be more effective than traditional uniform education materials. Randomized trial of testing its effectiveness is ongoing, and findings will be available in fall, 2010.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. describe how photonovel is different from traditional educational materials. 2. compare the difference in barriers to hepatitis B screening/vaccination across Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated in planning and designing study, data collection, development of photonovels.
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.

Back to: 4083.0: Community Engagement and Public Health Practice in Asian & Pacific Islander Communities