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Implementation and outcomes of a remote hepatitis B screening program designed to overcome COVID‐19 pandemic‐related disruptions to community‐based screenings for Asians in Greater Philadelphia: A descriptive study

Previously, the Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), which aims to find a cure for the disease and improve quality of life for those impacted, reported that the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in a community sample from Greater Philadelphia comprised predominantly of first-generation Americans from the...

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Published in:Health science reports 2022-09, Vol.5 (5), p.e761-n/a
Main Authors: Ha, Yoonhee P., Sun, Yusha, Wilkinson, Jack, Wang, Sonia, Chien, Lillian, Wu, Marisa, Wang, Evangeline, Freeland, Catherine
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Previously, the Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), which aims to find a cure for the disease and improve quality of life for those impacted, reported that the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in a community sample from Greater Philadelphia comprised predominantly of first-generation Americans from the Western Pacific Region was 7.9%. In prior work, we identified lack of knowledge about hepatitis B and available resources, limited English proficiency, concerns about costs, time constraints, discrimination, and stigma as barriers to screening and health care for Asians. 5 Screening can increase when recommended by trusted family members or health professionals and when awareness of hepatitis B increases, 6 and community-based screening programs can leverage linguistic and cultural connections to provide relevant health education, screening, and referral to care. METHODS Program design In line with the Health Belief Model, we designed a screening program to address constructs that affect health behaviors: susceptibility, seriousness, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. 8 We created an online registration form where individuals could enter their name, birth date, sex, contact information, and preferred language (Figure 1). Table 1 Demographic characteristics, screening results, and referrals to care for remote hepatitis B screening program participants Eligible and completed screening a (N = 26) Demographic characteristics Age, years, mean (SD) 46.6 (12.9) Sex, n (%) Male 11 (42.3) Female 15 (57.7) Ethnicity, n (%) Chinese 12 (46.2) Vietnamese 13 (50.0) Hispanic 1 (3.8) Screening results Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), n (%) Positive 7 (26.9) Negative 19 (73.1) Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb), n (%) Positive 8 (30.8) Negative 18 (69.2) Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), n (%)
ISSN:2398-8835
2398-8835
DOI:10.1002/hsr2.761