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Acceptability and Feasibility of Home-Based Hepatitis B Screening Among Haitian Immigrants

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Abstract

Hepatitis B (HBV) is endemic in Haiti, therefore Haitian immigrants should be screened to identify and link affected individuals to care. Current screening approaches are ineffective. We assessed the acceptability and feasibility of home-based screening among Haitian immigrants using community health workers (CHWs). We recruited participants exiting a pragmatic trial evaluating strategies to improve care delivery (NCT02970136). Participants completed an acceptability questionnaire. Blood drawn by CHWs at participants’ homes or community sites was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis B core antibody. Of 60 participants, 59 found screening acceptable; 53 had blood drawn. Of those, 45.3% had HBV previously, 49.1% remained susceptible and 5.7% were vaccinated. Respondents cited various reasons community members might find screening unacceptable. The high prior HBV rate highlights the need for effective outreach programs. Home-based HBV screening was both acceptable and feasible among Haitian immigrants.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge members of the Behavioral and Community-Based Research Shared Resource for assisting with study recruitment and procedures. We also acknowledge our participants as well as staff at the Center for Haitian Studies, Health and Human Services. The salary for PDJ was partially supported by a Diversity Supplement awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities U01MD010614-01S1. Also, OC and EK receive partial salary support through U01MD010614. Patient incentives were also made possible through this grant. The NIH was not involved in study design or in the collection, analysis or interpretation of data. Further, the NIH did not contribute to the writing of this manuscript or decision to submit for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Patricia D. Jones, Kristin Gmunder, Saradjine Batrony, Paul Martin, Erin Kobetz & Olveen Carrasquillo

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Suite 1112, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Patricia D. Jones & Paul Martin

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Computational Medicine and Population Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Erin Kobetz

  4. Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Olveen Carrasquillo

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Jones, P.D., Gmunder, K., Batrony, S. et al. Acceptability and Feasibility of Home-Based Hepatitis B Screening Among Haitian Immigrants. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 1170–1178 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01165-z

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