242210 Reaching hard-to-reach populations to address hepatitis B disparities: Lessons learned from the B Free CEED legacy pilot program

Monday, October 31, 2011: 10:48 AM

Shijian Li, PhD, MSW , School of Medicine, New York University, New York City, NY
Simona Kwon, DrPH, MPH , Center for the Study of Asian American Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Shao-Chee Sim, PhD , Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, New York, NY
Weerasinghe Isha, MSc , School of Medicine, New York Unviversity, New York
Kay Chun, MD , Public Health and Research Center, Korean Community Services, New York, NY
Catlin Rideout, MPH , NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
Ivy Lee , Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY
Chau-Trinh Shevrin, DrPH , Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU Institute of Community Health and Research, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
Mariano Rey, MD , Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU Institute of Community Health and Research, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Background/significance: Hepatitis B (HBV) is a major health disparity in Asian American communities, particularly among the most vulnerable yet hard-to-reach recent immigrants from East and Southeast Asia. Each year, B Free CEED provides pilot funding and technical assistance through the Legacy pilot grants to build capacity of local, grassroots organizations across the U.S. to conduct research and increase the hepatitis B knowledgebase to support interventions, national networking and policy advocacy activities. Objectives/purpose: An internal evaluation was conducted at the third year of this five-year program to assess its implementation and resulting impacts. The evaluation measured the extent to which the pilot project was carried out with fidelity so as to provide strategic inputs for future program management. It also assessed short-term and intermediate impacts, such as increases in grantee organizations' capacity building and expansion of their social networks. Methods: The multi-method data collection procedure included: surveys, telephone interviews with all grantees, technical assistance logs, interviews with CEED staff and community partners, and other program documents. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes. Findings: Altogether, thirteen grantees have completed fifteen proposed hepatitis B projects (including two research projects) targeting hard-to-reach API groups. Preliminary survey findings indicated that grantees gained significant knowledge and skills regarding health research, program development, and evaluation. Efforts to link these grassroots organizations to national networks may require additional resources. Conclusions/Discussion: The implications of using mini-grants to facilitate the reduction of health disparities in hard-to-reach populations will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Describe a CDC-sponsored mini-grant pilot program to reduce hepatitis B disparities among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and provide the results of a midterm evaluation to assess project implementation and short/intermediate-term impacts on grantees.

Keywords: Hepatitis B, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the evaluation from the very beginning, including design, data collection and analysis.
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.