Knowledge, Attitudes, Barriers to Hepatitis B Screening Among Chinese Americans

Newswise — Hepatitis B is rapidly becoming a serious health problem in America, especially in the Asian American population. Among all ethnic groups, Chinese Americans have the highest incidence rates for this disease, which strikes more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. each year.

Grace X. Ma, Ph.D., associate professor of public health and director of the Center for Asian Health at Temple University, will discuss these disturbing trends and unveil her latest research, which will be used to design a community-based, culturally appropriate intervention to increase the screening/vaccine rates in Chinese Americans. For Ma's study, 282 Chinese Americans in New York City were evaluated to gauge their knowledge and awareness levels, attitudes and practices toward Hepatitis B, Hepatitis B screening and vaccine behavior.