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Attitudes Toward Hepatitis B Virus among Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean Americans in the Houston Area, Texas

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Abstract

We explored attitudes about prevention, screening and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese communities. We use qualitative methods in 12 focus groups (n = 113) of adults who self-reported their ethnicity to be Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese. We use grounded theory (i.e., consensus-building between co-coders about recurring, emerging themes) for analysis. Diet, nutrition, fatigue and stress were misidentified as HBV causes. Improving hygiene, diet, exercise, and holistic methods were misidentified as viable HBV prevention methods. Common screening problems included not affording test and not understanding test results. Participants shared reasons for using complementary and alternative medicine—when Western medicine fails or becomes unaffordable. Participants sought information from medical providers and fellow community members, but also from the internet. Many of the attitudes and opinions that emerged may deter participation in HBV screening, prevention and treatment, insofar as community members may factor them into healthcare decision-making, choose alternative but ineffective methods of prevention and treatment, and undervalue the benefits of screening. More patient education in both traditional and new media is necessary for clarifying transmission, screening and treatment misunderstandings.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Soo-Hyun Lee-Kim, APN; Tuong-Vi Ho, RN, PhD, FNP; and Jing Peng, MS, RN for assistance in moderating the focus groups. They thank Joan Engebretson, PhD for guidance with codebook development; Cheryl Rodgers, PhD, CPNP and Rosalind Bryant, PhD, APRN-BC, PNP for assistance in coding; Arun Kanmantha Reddy, MD for assistance in coding and administrative support; and Susan Lackey for administrative support. Dr. Hwang is a recipient of a National Cancer Institute Career Development Award (K07 CA132955) and received research grant funding from Gilead. Dr. Suarez-Almazor holds a K24 Midcareer Investigator Award from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (K24 AR053593).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 1465, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Jessica P. Hwang & Maria E. Suarez-Almazor

  2. University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, TX, USA

    Aimee K. Roundtree

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  1. Jessica P. Hwang
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Correspondence to Jessica P. Hwang.

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Hwang, J.P., Roundtree, A.K. & Suarez-Almazor, M.E. Attitudes Toward Hepatitis B Virus among Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean Americans in the Houston Area, Texas. J Community Health 37, 1091–1100 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-012-9543-2

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