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Public Health Model for Prevention of Liver Cancer Among Asian Americans

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Abstract

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) account for over half of the 1.3 million chronic hepatitis B cases and for over half of the deaths resulting from chronic hepatitis B infection in United States. There are very few studies published about hepatitis B virus (HBV) data in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. In 2003, the Hepatitis B Initiative-DC (HBI-DC) worked closely with a large Korean church, located in Vienna, Virginia. Their partnership included a pilot-test of a faith-based HBV program, which educates, screens and vaccinates for the HBV. This pilot program was later expanded to include a total of nine Korean and Chinese American churches in this region, plus a Pastor’s Conference targeting Asian American pastors from around the United States. During 2003–2006, a total of 1,775 persons were tested for HBV infection through the HBI-DC program. Of all the participants, 2% (n = 35) were tested HBV positive (HbsAg+, HbsAb−), 37% (n = 651) were HBV negative but protected (HbsAg−, HbsAb+), and 61% (n = 1089) were unprotected (HbsAg−, HbsAb−). Most of these unprotected individuals (n = 924) received the first vaccination. The proportion of the second vaccination was 88.8% (n = 824). About 79% completed 3-shot vaccine series. Our study contributes to the literature by providing an overview of the hepatitis B unprotected rate among Asian American adults. It indicates that culturally integrated liver cancer prevention program will reduce cancer health disparities in high risk immigrant populations.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Hepatitis Foundation International, Gilead Sciences, Inova Health System Foundation, Inova’s Congregational Health Partnership, and the Inova Reference Laboratory, Merck, Inc., and GlaxoSmithKline. For their support and cooperation in this project, we thank pastors, leaders and volunteers from the churches: Chinese Christian Church of Virginia, Christ Central Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, HOPE Chapel, Korean Central Presbyterian Church, McLean Korean Presbyterian Church, Open Door Presbyterian Church, Pilgrim Korean Community Baptist Church, and Seoul Presbyterian Church. We would like to thank Sun Hi Kim, Ed Hsu, Mark Kim, Ken Paik, Peter Shin, Pastor Hank Hahm, Steve Yang, and Christina Yang for their support in helping to complete this project. We also wish to thank all the members of the HBI-DC Board for their support and cooperation. For more information about HBI programs, please visit www.hepbinitiative.org.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Behavior & Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, 704, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Hee-Soon Juon & Carol Strong

  2. The Hepatitis B Initiative-DC, P.O. Box 53447, Washington, DC, 20009-3447, USA

    Thomas H. Oh, Theresa Castillo, Grace Tsai & Leslie D. Hsu Oh

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  1. Hee-Soon Juon
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  2. Carol Strong
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  3. Thomas H. Oh
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  6. Leslie D. Hsu Oh
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Correspondence to Hee-Soon Juon.

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Juon, HS., Strong, C., Oh, T.H. et al. Public Health Model for Prevention of Liver Cancer Among Asian Americans. J Community Health 33, 199–205 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-008-9091-y

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