Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, PA, United States.
Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 9;12:1377096. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1377096. eCollection 2024.
Asian and Pacific Islander (API), African, and Caribbean immigrant groups in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer). Creating educational communication campaigns about hepatitis B and liver cancer for these communities is necessary to increase disease-related awareness and prompt health-promoting behaviors. Identifying interpersonal communication (IPC) preferences within diverse communities for integration into an educational campaign that emphasizes the link between hepatitis B and liver cancer can ultimately promote uptake of screening, vaccination and linkage to appropriate care.
Fifteen focus groups and two key informant interviews were conducted with participants from Micronesian, Chinese, Hmong, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Vietnamese, Korean, Somali, Ethiopian, Filipino, Haitian, and Francophone West African communities. Data were analyzed using thematic coding and analysis.
Findings demonstrate that all communities preferred that materials be offered in both English and native languages and emphasized that campaigns highlight the connection between hepatitis B and liver cancer. Educational sessions should take place in settings where communities feel safe, including community-based organizations, religious establishments, and healthcare offices, and should be facilitated by trusted messengers, including patient navigators, doctors and faith leaders. Presenting accurate information and dispelling myths and misconceptions around hepatitis B, liver cancer, and their connection were the biggest needs identified across all focus groups.
This study provides insight into community-specific preferences for learning about hepatitis B and liver cancer through IPC methods. The findings from this study can be used to design multi-platform, culturally and linguistically appropriate health education campaigns to facilitate improved diagnosis, prevention, and management of hepatitis B and liver cancer among heavily impacted communities in the U.S.
美国的亚洲及太平洋岛屿裔（API）、非裔和加勒比裔移民群体受慢性乙型肝炎和肝细胞癌（原发性肝癌）的影响不成比例。为这些社区创建关于乙型肝炎和肝癌的教育传播活动，对于提高与疾病相关的认识并促使促进健康行为是必要的。确定不同社区内人际传播（IPC）的偏好，并将其纳入强调乙型肝炎与肝癌之间联系的教育活动中，最终可以促进筛查、疫苗接种和与适当护理的联系。
对来自密克罗尼西亚、中国、苗族、尼日利亚、加纳、越南、韩国、索马里、埃塞俄比亚、菲律宾、海地和法语西非社区的参与者进行了十五次焦点小组和两次关键知情人访谈。使用主题编码和分析对数据进行了分析。
研究结果表明，所有社区都希望提供英语和母语的材料，并强调活动突出乙型肝炎和肝癌之间的联系。教育课程应在社区感到安全的环境中进行，包括社区组织、宗教场所和医疗机构，并应由受信任的信息传播者，如患者导航员、医生和宗教领袖来促进。所有焦点小组都认为，提供有关乙型肝炎、肝癌及其关联的准确信息，消除误解和错误观念是最大的需求。
本研究深入了解了通过 IPC 方法了解乙型肝炎和肝癌的社区特定偏好。本研究的结果可用于设计多平台、文化和语言适当的健康教育活动，以促进美国受影响严重的社区改善乙型肝炎和肝癌的诊断、预防和管理。
