Abstract
Hepatitis B testing is recommended for immigrants from countries where hepatitis B infection is endemic. However, only about one-half of Chinese in North America have received hepatitis B testing. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention for Chinese Americans/Canadians. Four hundred and sixty individuals who had never been tested for hepatitis B were identified from community-based surveys of Chinese conducted in Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. These individuals were randomly assigned to receive a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention or a direct mailing of physical activity educational materials. Follow-up surveys were completed 6 months after randomization. Self-reported hepatitis B testing was verified through medical records review. A total of 319 individuals responded to the follow-up survey (69% response rate). Medical records data verified hepatitis B testing since randomization for 9 (6%) of the 142 experimental group participants and 3 (2%) of the 177 control group participants (P = 0.04). At follow-up, a higher proportion of individuals in the experimental arm than individuals in the control arm knew that hepatitis B can be spread by razors (P < 0.001) and during sexual intercourse (P = 0.07). Our findings suggest that lay health worker interventions can impact hepatitis B-related knowledge. However, our hepatitis B lay health worker intervention had a very limited impact on hepatitis B testing completion. Future research should evaluate other intervention approaches to improving hepatitis B testing rates among Chinese in North America.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 165-172 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Community Health |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Chinese Americans/Canadians
- Hepatitis B
- Lay health worker
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health(social science)
Cite this
Evaluation of a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention for Chinese Americans and Canadians. / Taylor, Vicky M.; Hislop, T. Gregory; Tu, Shin-Ping; Teh, Chong; Acorda, Elizabeth; Yip, Mei Po; Woodall, Erica; Yasui, Yutaka.
In: Journal of Community Health, Vol. 34, No. 3, 01.06.2009, p. 165-172.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention for Chinese Americans and Canadians
AU - Taylor, Vicky M.
AU - Hislop, T. Gregory
AU - Tu, Shin-Ping
AU - Teh, Chong
AU - Acorda, Elizabeth
AU - Yip, Mei Po
AU - Woodall, Erica
AU - Yasui, Yutaka
PY - 2009/6/1
Y1 - 2009/6/1
N2 - Hepatitis B testing is recommended for immigrants from countries where hepatitis B infection is endemic. However, only about one-half of Chinese in North America have received hepatitis B testing. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention for Chinese Americans/Canadians. Four hundred and sixty individuals who had never been tested for hepatitis B were identified from community-based surveys of Chinese conducted in Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. These individuals were randomly assigned to receive a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention or a direct mailing of physical activity educational materials. Follow-up surveys were completed 6 months after randomization. Self-reported hepatitis B testing was verified through medical records review. A total of 319 individuals responded to the follow-up survey (69% response rate). Medical records data verified hepatitis B testing since randomization for 9 (6%) of the 142 experimental group participants and 3 (2%) of the 177 control group participants (P = 0.04). At follow-up, a higher proportion of individuals in the experimental arm than individuals in the control arm knew that hepatitis B can be spread by razors (P < 0.001) and during sexual intercourse (P = 0.07). Our findings suggest that lay health worker interventions can impact hepatitis B-related knowledge. However, our hepatitis B lay health worker intervention had a very limited impact on hepatitis B testing completion. Future research should evaluate other intervention approaches to improving hepatitis B testing rates among Chinese in North America.
AB - Hepatitis B testing is recommended for immigrants from countries where hepatitis B infection is endemic. However, only about one-half of Chinese in North America have received hepatitis B testing. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention for Chinese Americans/Canadians. Four hundred and sixty individuals who had never been tested for hepatitis B were identified from community-based surveys of Chinese conducted in Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. These individuals were randomly assigned to receive a hepatitis B lay health worker intervention or a direct mailing of physical activity educational materials. Follow-up surveys were completed 6 months after randomization. Self-reported hepatitis B testing was verified through medical records review. A total of 319 individuals responded to the follow-up survey (69% response rate). Medical records data verified hepatitis B testing since randomization for 9 (6%) of the 142 experimental group participants and 3 (2%) of the 177 control group participants (P = 0.04). At follow-up, a higher proportion of individuals in the experimental arm than individuals in the control arm knew that hepatitis B can be spread by razors (P < 0.001) and during sexual intercourse (P = 0.07). Our findings suggest that lay health worker interventions can impact hepatitis B-related knowledge. However, our hepatitis B lay health worker intervention had a very limited impact on hepatitis B testing completion. Future research should evaluate other intervention approaches to improving hepatitis B testing rates among Chinese in North America.
KW - Chinese Americans/Canadians
KW - Hepatitis B
KW - Lay health worker
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=63449138620&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=63449138620&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10900-008-9138-0
DO - 10.1007/s10900-008-9138-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 19127416
AN - SCOPUS:63449138620
VL - 34
SP - 165
EP - 172
JO - Journal of Community Health
JF - Journal of Community Health
SN - 0094-5145
IS - 3
ER -