Estimating the percentage of Chinese Americans in NYC who have been tested for HBV using data from the REACH survey

Background: More information on testing rate and care for chronic HBV infection among Asian Americans is critical in determining the need and allocation of future resources for combating this important health disparity. Results derived from community screenings suffer from selection bias and small sample sizes while most national surveys under-sample Asian Americans

Method : Analysis of self-reported testing, care and treatment for HBV in a large, randomly selected sample of Asian Americans in NYC as part of the REACH U.S. survey.

Results : 56.6% of 1365 Chinese Americans surveyed reported having been previously tested for HBV. There was very little year-to-year difference observed. Among those tested, 18.7% were told they were infected, comparable to that previously reported for this population. Demographic factors associated with testing included younger age, foreign born and having health insurance. Of those reported being infected, one-half reported seeing a doctor for their HBV infection and about one-third reported have ever received treatment for HBV.

Conclusion: Rates of testing for HBV infection among Chinese Americans in NYC are much higher than those reported in other parts of the country but remain insufficient despite the fact that >90% of responders had seen a health provider recently. A public awareness that targets both specific at risk groups and health care providers is essential to improve rates of diagnosis and care for HBV. The REACH survey may serve as a convenient and important means of monitoring changes in the rate of HBV testing over time within specific populations at risk.