Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection greatly increases the risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV serologic testing is important for the identification of chronically infected individuals, who may benefit from antiviral treatment and regular monitoring for disease sequelae. Elevated rates of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma among Vietnamese American men can largely be attributed to high rates of chronic HBV infection. We surveyed 509 Vietnamese men aged 18–64 years in Seattle, Washington and examined sociodemographic and health care access factors associated with HBV serology testing. Nearly two-thirds (65%) reported past testing. The following were among those factors associated with HBV testing in bivariate comparisons: older age; short proportion of life in the US; low English fluency; private health insurance; identifying a regular source of medical care; reporting no long waits for medical appointments; and having access to interpreter services. The following were independently associated with HBV testing in multiple logistic regression analysis: older age; college education; low English fluency; private health insurance; having a regular medical provider; and reporting no long waits for medical appointments. Younger and less educated men, and those with difficulty accessing medical care may be at particular risk for never having had HBV testing. Programs to reduce HBV transmission and sequelae should make special effort to target these vulnerable Vietnamese Americans.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Centers for Disease Control: Screening for Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Refugees Arriving in the United States. MMWR 1991; 45:784–786
Goodman RA, Sikes RK: Hepatitis B markers in Southeast Asian refugees. JAMA 1984; 251:2086
Merican I, Guan R, Amarapuka D, Alexander MJ, Chutaputti A, Chien RN, Hasnian SS, Leung N, Lesmana L, Phiet PH, Sjalfoellah Noer HM, Sollano J, Sun HS, Xu DZ: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Asian countries. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2000; 15:1356–1361
Franks AL, Berg CJ, Kane MA, Browne BB, Sikes RK, Elsea WR, Burton AH: Hepatitis B infection among children born in the United States to Southeast Asian refugees. N Engl J Med 1989; 321:1301–1305
Gjerdingen DK, Lor V: Hepatitis B status of Hmong patients. JABFP 1997; 10:322–328
Hurie MB, Mast EE, Davis JP: Horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus infection to United States-born children of Hmong refugees. Pediatr 1992; 89:269–273
Di Bisceglie AM, Rustgi VK, Hoofnagle JH, Dusheiko GM, Lotze ML: NIH conference: Hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Intern Med 1988; 108:390–401
Hwang SJ, Tong MJ, Lai PP, Ko ES, Co RL, Chien D, Kuo G: Evaluation of hepatitis B and C viral markers: Clinical significance in Asian and Caucasian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States of America. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1996; 11:949–954
Hann HWL: Hepatitis B: In: Zane NWS, Takeuchi DT, Young KNJ, eds. Confronting Critical Health Issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications; 1994:148–173
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Hepatitis B: In: Atkinson W, Hamborsky J, Wolfe S, eds. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 8th edn Washington DC: Public Health Foundation; 2004:191–212
Euler GL: Asian and Pacific Islander child hepatitis B vaccination catch-up: Why now is the best time. Asian Am Pac Isl J Health 1997; 5:40–45
London WT, McGlynn KA: Liver cancer: In: D Scottenfeld, JF Fraumeni, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. New York: Oxford University Press; 1996:772–793
Johnson PJ: The epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1996; 8:845–849
Miller AB, Kolonel LN, Bernstein L, Young JL Jr, Swanson GM, West D, Key CR, Liff JM, Glover CS, Alexander GA: Racial/ethnic Patterns of Cancer in the United States, 1988–1992. Bethesda: National Cancer Institute; 1996
Lok A, McMahon B: Chronic hepatitis B. Hepatol 2001; 34:1225–1241
US Department of Commerce: 1990 Census of Population—Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Washington DC: US Department of Commerce; 1993
US Census Bureau: Population Estimates Program. Washington DC: US Census Bureau; 2000
McPhee SJ, Stewart S, Brock KC, Bird JA, Jenkins CNH, Pham GQ: Factors associated with breast and cervical cancer screening practices among Vietnamese American women. Cancer Detect Prev 1997; 21:510–521
Hoang GN, Erickson RV: Cultural barriers to effective medical care among Indochinese patients. Annu Rev Med 1985; 36:229–239
Nguyen MD: Culture shock—a review of Vietnamese culture and its concepts of health and disease. West J Med 1985; 142:409–412
Jenkins CNH, Buu C, Berger W, Son DT: Liver carcinoma prevention among Asian Pacific Islanders. Cancer (Suppl) 2001; 91:252–256
Pasick RJ, Sabogal F, Bird JA, D’Onofrio CN, Jenkins CNH, Le M, Engelstad L, Hiatt RA: Problems and progress in translation of health survey questions: The Pathways experience. Health Educ Q (Suppl) 1996; 23:S28–S40
Anderson J, Moeschberger M, Chen MS Jr, Kunn P, Wewers ME, Guthrie R: An acculturation scale for Southeast Asians. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1993; 28:134–141
Suinn R: Measurement of acculturation in Asian Americans. Asian Am Pac Isl J Health 1998; 6:7–12
Olmedo EL: Acculturation: A psychometric perspective. Am Psychol 1979; 34:1061–1070
Marin G, Sabogal F, Marin BV: Development of a short acculturation scale for Hispanics. Hisp J Behav Sci 1997; 9:183–205
State of Washington Health Care Authority: A Study of the Washington State Basic Health Program. Olympia, WA: State of Washington Health Care Authority; 2002
McPhee SJ: Promoting breast and cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese American women: Two interventions. Asian Am Pac Isl J Health 1998; 6:344–350
Rosner B: Fundamentals of Biostatistics, 5th edn. Pacific Grove, CA: Duxbury; 2000
Breslow NS, Day NE: Statistical methods in cancer research. In: Volume 1: The Analysis of Case-Control Studies. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1980
Taylor VM, Jackson JC, Chan N, Kuniyuki A, Yasui Y: Hepatitis B knowledge and practices among Cambodian American women in Seattle, Washington. J Community Health 2002; 27:151–163
McPhee SJ, Nguyen TT: Cancer, cancer risk factors, and community-based cancer control trials in Vietnamese Americans. Asian Am Pac Isl J Health 2000; 8:18–31
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. 8 U S C § 1182 (a)(1); 1996
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Choe, J.H., Taylor, V.M., Yasui, Y. et al. Health Care Access and Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Hepatitis B Testing in Vietnamese American Men. J Immigrant Health 8, 193–201 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-9322-1
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-9322-1