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Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection: African Americans and Hispanic Americans

  • Hepatitis B (J Lim, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Chronic infection with hepatitis B affects more than 240 million persons worldwide and is a major public health concern. Despite national and global initiatives to promote hepatitis B elimination, including newborn vaccination, catch-up vaccination in adolescents and high-risk adults, screening of the blood supply, and treatment of those in need, both new infections and a reservoir of chronic infections continue to result in morbidity and mortality. As with many chronic diseases, racial and ethnic disparities are seen in hepatitis B virus infection. The goal of this review is to synthesize the data concerning the burden of hepatitis B infection in African Americans and Hispanics, two racial/ethnic groups in the United States who encounter barriers in access to care, low engagement in care, and low utilization of diagnostic and treatment services.

Recent Findings

Recent data, though sparse in certain areas, continue to suggest differences in rates of incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in African Americans, and differences in screening, specialty referral and initiation of therapy for African Americans and Hispanics. Data are lacking about differences in liver disease progression and manifestations in both African Americans and Hispanics.

Summary

Disparities in hepatitis B diagnosis, disease management, treatment, and prevention remain for African Americans and Hispanics. These disparities require a commitment from governmental and public health organizations. The efforts should include increasing vaccination in those most susceptible to infection, screening those at highest risk for infection, initiating antiviral therapy in those who require it, and monitoring for liver-related complications, such as decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in the chronically infected. This multipronged approach is necessary to realize hepatitis B elimination.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 722 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6021, USA

    Kimberly A. Forde

  2. Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Kimberly A. Forde

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Correspondence to Kimberly A. Forde.

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Forde, K.A. Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection: African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Curr Hepatology Rep 16, 105–112 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-017-0348-8

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