Chang Ellen T, Nguyen Bang H, So Samuel K S
Northern California Cancer Center, Fremont, Walnut Avenue, Suite 300, Fremont, CA 94538, USA.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2008 Oct-Dec;9(4):605-13.
Chronic hepatitis B and associated liver cancer constitute important health threats with disparity among Asian/Pacific Islander Americans (APIs). However, many APIs are unaware of and unprotected against these diseases.
To inform the development of community-based programs to increase hepatitis B and liver cancer awareness and prevention among APIs, we conducted a series of qualitative focus groups in 2007 to identify motivations and deterrents related to hepatitis B education, testing, and vaccination among San Francisco Bay Area Chinese Americans. Six focus groups were held in Cantonese, English, or Mandarin for women or men, respectively. Recorded transcripts were transcribed, translated, and then coded by consensus.
Factors that motivated individuals to be tested for hepatitis B included peace of mind, prevention of transmission to others, informed decision-making ability, convenience, and pre-vaccination screening. Primary motivations for hepatitis B vaccination were protection of future health and avoidance of hepatitis B. However, factors that discouraged people from testing or vaccination included costs, lack of health insurance, fear of side effects, worries about reliability or efficacy, poor patient-doctor communication, reliance on professional opinion, apparent good health, inconvenience, and personal preference. Individuals were generally in favor of informing relatives and friends about hepatitis B testing and vaccination, and offered several reasons for and against educating others about these activities.
In summary, our study identifies common attitudes and influences regarding the decision to take preventive action against hepatitis B and liver cancer. These findings can be applied toward the design of more effective educational and outreach materials and programs for Chinese Americans and possibly other APIs.
慢性乙型肝炎及相关肝癌对亚太裔美国人（APIs）构成了重大的健康威胁，且存在差异。然而，许多亚太裔美国人并未意识到这些疾病，也未受到相关保护。
为了推动基于社区的项目发展，以提高亚太裔美国人对乙型肝炎和肝癌的认识及预防水平，我们在2007年开展了一系列定性焦点小组讨论，以确定旧金山湾区华裔美国人在乙型肝炎教育、检测和疫苗接种方面的动机和阻碍因素。分别用粤语、英语或普通话为女性和男性各举办了六个焦点小组讨论。对录制的文字记录进行转录、翻译，然后通过共识进行编码。
促使个人进行乙型肝炎检测的因素包括安心、防止传染给他人、具备知情决策能力、便利以及接种疫苗前的筛查。接种乙型肝炎疫苗的主要动机是保护未来健康和避免感染乙型肝炎。然而，阻碍人们进行检测或接种疫苗的因素包括费用、缺乏医疗保险、担心副作用、对可靠性或有效性的担忧、医患沟通不畅、依赖专业意见、看似健康状况良好、不便以及个人偏好。个人普遍赞成向亲戚和朋友宣传乙型肝炎检测和疫苗接种，并给出了支持和反对向他人宣传这些活动的若干理由。
总之，我们的研究确定了在针对乙型肝炎和肝癌采取预防行动的决策方面的常见态度和影响因素。这些发现可应用于为华裔美国人以及可能的其他亚太裔美国人设计更有效的教育和外展材料及项目。
