259799 A Feasibility Intervention Study to Increase Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening among Vietnamese Americans

Monday, October 29, 2012

Grace X. Ma, PhD , Center for Asian Health, Department of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Yin Tan, MPH, MD , Center for Asian Health, Department of Public Health, Tempel University, Philadelphia, PA
Xiaoli Ma, MD , Clinical Associate Professor, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Jamil I. Toubbeh, PhD , Center for Asian Health, Department of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Background: It is reported that veterans served in Vietnam War have unusually high rates of hepatitis C, ranging from 10 and 20 percent. However, there is lack of information about the infectious status of Vietnamese Americans who might also be victims of this disease but unaware of it.

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to develop and pilot test the feasibility and effectiveness of a culturally and linguistically appropriate education on HCV prevention and control among Vietnamese Americans.

Methods: This was a one group design. Vietnamese Americans (n=326) were recruited into the study from 7 Vietnamese community-based organizations located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from 2010 to 2011. Participants received hepatitis C virus education and navigation of blood testing and clinical follow ups delivered by bilingual Vietnamese health educators. Assessments were obtained at baseline and postintervention. Screening behavior was assessed at 6 months postintervention.

Results: The data are in the process of being analyzed. However, the preliminary results showed that at 6 months postintervention, 314 (96%) of the participants had obtained HCV screening. Of these, 19 (6%) were tested as HCV positive who are currently being assisted by our patient navigation program for clinical follow ups, treatments, and survivorships.

Conclusion: The preliminary data suggested higher HCV infectious rates among Vietnamese Americans and a potential success of the intervention program in increasing HCV screening among this population.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to articulate the hepatitis C virus infectious status and knowledge and behavior among Vietnamese Americans. 2. Participants will be able to discuss and apply the results of this study to the development of culturally appropriate intervention strategies to increase hepatitis C virus infection screening rates among Vietnamese Americans.

Keywords: Hepatitis C, Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of multiple federally funded grants focusing on behavioral health intervention trials, health disparities/transcultural health care for underserved Asian Americans and other ethnic minority populations, cancer prevention and intervention, tobacco control and lung cancer, chronic disease intervention, public health education and community health, health promotion, and global or international health. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies of preventing cancer, chronic disease and tobacco control.
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: 3389.0: Translating research to practice: API perspectives