B Free CEED Legacy Pilot Project: Assessing Hepatitis B

Awareness, Screening, and Vaccination Behaviors among

Vietnamese Americans in Northern Virginia

The survey was administered to 502 individuals who were:• Of Vietnamese heritage• Living in the Washington D.C. area• Over 18 years of age

The survey included • Demographics• Hepatitis B knowledge, screening, and

vaccination• Sources of health information

The population surveyed was 63% female and 37% male

64% of individuals were married 46% of individuals had greater than a

high school education 45% of individuals had a total

household income of $30,000 or less 42% of individuals had a full-time

job,18% were unemployed, and 14% were retired

96% of individuals were born outside of the United States

Of individuals born outside of the US, 22% have lived in the US for 5 or fewer years

54% of individuals spoke English “not well” or “not at all”, while 20% of individuals spoke English “fluently” or “very well”

79% of individuals spoke Vietnamese “fluently” or “very well”

83% of individuals had heard of hepatitis B, 10% had not heard of hepatitis B, and 7% were not sure

57% believed hepatitis B to be most common among Asian Americans, while 34.5% were not sure

Screened individuals were more likely than unscreened/unsure individuals to identify correct modes of hepatitis B transmission

Of all individuals, only 50% identified unprotected sex and 41% identified mother to baby as modes of transmission

Approximately one third of individuals incorrectly believe that hepatitis B can be spread by sharing food or utensils/chopsticks

78% had been told to get screened for hepatitis B

Of these individuals, 58% were told by their doctor and 24.5% were told by family members

Of those not screened, 51% identified insurance as the reason, and 49% identified that they were feeling well/had no health problems

62% of individuals had been screened for hepatitis B

Individuals who spoke Vietnamese fluently/very well were more likely to have been screened than individuals who spoke English fluently/very well (67% versus 13%)

77% of individuals had been told to get vaccinated for hepatitis B

Of these individuals, 63% had been told by their doctor, and 26% had been told by a family member

43% of individuals had been vaccinated for hepatitis B

15% of individuals reported being diagnosed with hepatitis B infection

Laura, can we provide some demographics on the individuals who are infected – gender, age, foreign born, …

Of those screened or vaccinated for hepatitis B, the biggest influence was free screening/vaccination or coverage by insurance (46.5%) followed by a doctor telling them to get screened (41%) and fear of infection (36%)

Of those not screened or vaccinated for hepatitis B, the biggest influence is free screening/vaccination or coverage by insurance (57%), followed by a doctor telling them to get screened (38%) and fear of infection (28%)

50.5% of individuals do not have insurance

30% of individuals have private insurance, 17.5% of individuals have public insurance, and 2% of individuals have another type of insurance

50% of individuals self-reported being in excellent or good health

67% of individuals have internet in their home, 71% have a home phone, and 92% have a cell phone

The top sources for health/health care information among individuals who speak Vietnamese fluently or very well (n=396) are Vietnamese newspapers (64%), Vietnamese magazines (49%), and Vietnamese radio (36%)

The top sources for health/health care information among individuals who speak English fluently or very well (n=96) are English television (75%), English newspapers (59%), and English websites (55%)

The most trusted health source among all individuals was physicians (80.5%)

The most distrusted source among all individuals was friends (21%)

58.3% of individuals use Boat People SOS’ services

Of those individuals, 42% were screened and 20% were vaccinated for hepatitis B at the Vietnamese community health fair

This pilot project was supported by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention grant number: 5U58DP001022-02 awarded to the B Free CEED: National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Hepatitis B Disparities at NYU School of Medicine.

Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.