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Assessing Hepatitis B Knowledge Among Immigrant Communities in New York City
Michael Bride1, Ponni V Perumalswami2, Alexandre Ly van Manh2
1New York University College of Global Public Health, New York, USA. mb6246@nyu.edu.
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
|April 9, 2017
Summary
New York City immigrants demonstrate very low knowledge of Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Interventions are needed to improve HBV awareness in at-risk, foreign-born communities.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant global health concern.
- Targeted screening and education are crucial for populations at higher risk of HBV infection.
- Understanding existing knowledge gaps is essential for developing effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the level of knowledge regarding Hepatitis B virus (HBV) among immigrant populations in New York City.
- To identify factors associated with HBV knowledge levels within this demographic.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 2385 individuals at risk for HBV completed a knowledge assessment survey.
- Data were collected during HBV screening events held between 2010 and 2013.
- Statistical analysis examined associations between demographic factors and HBV knowledge scores.
Main Results:
- The majority of participants exhibited very low knowledge of HBV, with most answering all questions incorrectly.
- English fluency and US birth were associated with higher odds of better HBV knowledge.
- African birth and French as a native language were associated with lower odds of adequate HBV knowledge.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant deficit in Hepatitis B virus knowledge among diverse, at-risk immigrant communities in New York City.
- Targeted educational strategies are necessary to address the specific needs of foreign-born populations.
- Further research should focus on evaluating interventions to enhance HBV awareness in these vulnerable groups.
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