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Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Disease Knowledge of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection in Vietnamese Americans in California

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Abstract

Our goal is to examine the prevalence, risk factors, and disease knowledge of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) among Vietnamese Americans in California. We also examined treatment eligibility and linkage to care among patients who tested positive for CHB. We enrolled 717 subjects from ten different hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening events in five locations from January 2009 to June 2010 in California. HBV status was determined by hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody. Data were collected by a 36-question survey. A total of 99 patients (13.8 %) had positive HBsAg, especially those aged 31–40 years (23.6 %), and 177 (24.7 %) were still susceptible to HBV infection. A significant proportion of those who were HBsAg positive or still susceptible reported a history of HBV vaccination (10 and 20 %, respectively). Following adjustments for age and sex, significant predictors for HBsAg positivity were lack of healthcare coverage (OR = 2.4, p = 0.004), having a family history of CHB (OR = 2.1, p = 0.009), and prior occupational exposure (OR = 3.0, p = 0.007). Of those who tested positive, 13.3 % met criteria for antiviral therapy, but none had been initiated on treatment. HBV prevalence in Vietnamese Americans in California was high (13.8 %), especially in those between 31 and 40 years of age. Patient disease and treatment knowledge was poor, as were follow-up and management of those found to have CHB and/or have indication for antiviral therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Health Foundation, San Jose, CA, USA

    Nghi B. Ha, Nghiem B. Ha & Carrie R. Wong

  2. School of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Nghi B. Ha

  3. Song Manh, Inc, San Jose, CA, USA

    Huy N. Trinh, Trang T. Nguyen & Anh Thu Tran

  4. Leduc Medical Group, Fountain Valley, CA, USA

    Truong-Sinh Leduc

  5. Christopher Duong Bui MD Inc, Westminster, CA, USA

    Christopher Bui

  6. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, USA

    Nghiem B. Ha & Mindie H. Nguyen

  7. Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA

    Carrie R. Wong

  8. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University Medical Center, 750 Welch Road, Suite 210, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA

    Mindie H. Nguyen

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  1. Nghi B. Ha
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  2. Huy N. Trinh
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  3. Trang T. Nguyen
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  4. Truong-Sinh Leduc
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  5. Christopher Bui
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  6. Nghiem B. Ha
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  7. Carrie R. Wong
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  8. Anh Thu Tran
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  9. Mindie H. Nguyen
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Correspondence to Mindie H. Nguyen.

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Ha, N.B., Trinh, H.N., Nguyen, T.T. et al. Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Disease Knowledge of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection in Vietnamese Americans in California. J Canc Educ 28, 319–324 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0466-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0466-0

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