Hepatitis B Program 2010: A Roadmap to Health Parity in the API Community

The Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) was established in 2004 to reduce health disparities between Asian Americans and non-Asian counterparts in Montgomery County, Maryland. Hepatitis B disproportionately affects the API population. However, the healthcare system does not adequately meet this growing need. In order to bridge this gap, AAHI develops its Hepatitis B program in a strategic manner to achieve health parity. The objective is to analyze a Hepatitis B project that not only provided culturally and linguistically competent services to the community but also worked to strengthen the infrastructure of the local government to continue to meet such challenges in the future. An analysis of Montgomery County Hepatitis B services was conducted and measured against national best practice models. A community Hepatitis B project was then planned in accordance with AAHI's top priorities- health promotion, health access, partnership/collaboration and data collection. Following Hepatitis B screening, participants were referred to a network of treatment and vaccination options depending on their needs and health insurance status. An inclusive project plan was outlined with the participation of numerous physicians, clinic administrators, and community leaders. Because of the comprehensive and community-oriented services, high customer satisfaction was received. A protocol in Montgomery County was established to conduct Hepatitis B related services. Effective strategic planning on a local level is imperative to achieving social justice for API communities in the health sector.