Health Within Reach-a Patient-Centered Intervention to Increase Hepatitis B Screening Among Asian Americans: a...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Hepatology

Background:

• Asian Americans experience high rates of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection.
• Limited studies focus on interventions to increase HBV screening in this population.
• Effective strategies are needed to address this health disparity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a mobile application (Hepatitis App) for HBV screening.
• To test the efficacy of a multilingual mobile app in increasing HBV screening among Asian Americans.
• To evaluate the impact of technology-based interventions on viral hepatitis screening.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted.
• 452 Asian American patients aged 18+ with no prior HBV testing participated.
• The intervention group used a multilingual Hepatitis App; the control group used a nutrition/activity app.

Main Results:

• The Hepatitis App was well-received, with over 80% of users liking it.
• Intervention participants were significantly more likely to discuss HBV (70% vs. 16%) and undergo HBV testing (38% vs. 8%) within 3 months.
• Multivariable analyses showed an odds ratio of 7.6 for HBV test ordering and 7.5 for test receipt in the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• A multilingual mobile app intervention effectively increased HBV screening among Asian Americans.
• The Hepatitis App enhanced patient-provider communication regarding HBV.
• Technology-driven interventions show promise for improving healthcare quality in underserved populations.