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: 5U58DP 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.