Journal of Community Health
Volume 36, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 35-41

Hepatitis B ESL education for Asian immigrants (Article)

Taylor V.M. , Gregory Hislop T. , Bajdik C. , Teh C. , Lam W. , Acorda E. , Li L. , Yasui Y.
  • a Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • b Cancer Control Research Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
  • c Cancer Control Research Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
  • d Cancer Control Research Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
  • e Cancer Control Research Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
  • f Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • g Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • h Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, University Terrace 3-27, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada

Abstract

Asian communities in North America include large numbers of immigrants with limited English proficiency. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in most Asian countries and, therefore, Asian immigrant groups have high rates of chronic HBV infection. We conducted a group-randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis B English as a second language (ESL) educational curriculum for Asian immigrants. Eighty ESL classes were randomized to experimental (hepatitis B education) or control (physical activity education) status. Students who reported they had not received a HBV test (at baseline) completed a follow-up survey 6 months after randomization. The follow-up survey assessed recent HBV testing and HBV-related knowledge. Provider reports were used to verify self-reported HBV tests. The study group included 218 students who reported they had not been tested for HBV. Follow-up surveys were completed by 180 (83%) of these students. Provider records verified HBV testing for 6% of the experimental group students and 0% of the control group students (P = 0.02). Experimental group students were significantly (P < 0.05) more likely than control group students to know that immigrants have high HBV infection rates, HBV can be spread during sexual intercourse and by sharing razors, and HBV infection can cause liver cancer. Our ESL curriculum had a meaningful impact on HBV-related knowledge and a limited impact on HBV testing levels. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of ESL curricula for other immigrant groups and other health topics, as well as other intervention approaches to increasing levels of HBV testing in Asian immigrant communities. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

Education Asians Hepatitis B immigrants

Index Keywords

education curriculum Asian controlled clinical trial health promotion mass screening methodology clinical trial Follow-Up Studies follow up human Asia Asian continental ancestry group controlled study randomized controlled trial language ethnology Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female questionnaire Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Article Questionnaires adult health education migration Utilization Review hepatitis B attitude to health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78751644162&doi=10.1007%2fs10900-010-9279-9&partnerID=40&md5=97a11a1ab7809c1801f3e7950e536d23
DOI: 10.1007/s10900-010-9279-9
ISSN: 00945145
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English