Hepatitis B ESL education for Asian immigrants

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Health Education

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant health concern, particularly prevalent in Asian countries.
• Asian immigrant communities in North America often have limited English proficiency, posing barriers to accessing health information.
• High rates of chronic HBV infection exist within these populations due to endemicity in their countries of origin.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored Hepatitis B English as a Second Language (ESL) educational curriculum.
• To assess the impact of the curriculum on HBV-related knowledge and testing behaviors among Asian immigrants.
• To determine the feasibility of integrating health education into ESL programs.

Main Methods:

• A group-randomized trial involving 80 ESL classes was conducted.
• Classes were randomized to receive either hepatitis B education (experimental) or physical activity education (control).
• A follow-up survey assessed HBV testing and knowledge 6 months post-randomization, with provider reports verifying HBV tests.

Main Results:

• Provider records verified HBV testing in 6% of the experimental group versus 0% in the control group (P=0.02).
• Experimental group students showed significantly greater knowledge regarding HBV infection rates in immigrants, transmission routes (sexual contact, sharing razors), and its link to liver cancer (P < 0.05).
• The ESL curriculum significantly improved HBV-related knowledge but had a limited effect on increasing HBV testing levels.

Conclusions:

• The developed ESL curriculum effectively enhanced HBV-related knowledge among Asian immigrants.
• While direct impact on HBV testing was limited, the study highlights the potential of ESL programs for health education.
• Further research is recommended to explore other intervention strategies and adapt curricula for diverse immigrant groups and health issues.