Abstract C59: HBV screening and vaccination among first-generation African immigrants: A pilot study
Authors: Ma Grace X. , Ilboudo Adeodat , Dibba Omar , Zhu Lin , Tan Yin , Ogunwobi Olorunseun O. 
Published: February 2019

Background: African Americans disproportionately bear a large burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease in the U.S. Foreign-born African immigrants have high HBV prevalence rates. However, data on the African immigrant community are sparse. Information about HBV screening, vaccination, and awareness of this vulnerable population has been less well characterized. The purpose of this study was to provide the basis for a better understanding of HBV burden in this population and identify risk factors for implementation of future preventive and treatment programs.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 71 first-generation African Americans in New York City. Survey questions were asked regarding participants' HBV infection status, screening and vaccination history, practice of infection monitoring and treatment, knowledge of HBV transmission, and perceived barriers to screening and proper monitoring. Descriptive analyses and bivariate chi-square tests were conducted to describe the study sample and identify predictors of HBV screening and vaccination.

Results: The study sample consists of 47 men and 23 women, with an average age of 33. Among the sample, 87.7% are immigrants from sub-Sahara Africa, and over 85.4% lived in the U.S. more than 15 years. About half of the participants never had HBV screening (43.6%) and never received vaccination (50%). We found a low level of HBV-related knowledge. Only about half of the participants had a correct understanding of the ways in which HBV is transmitted. Bivariate analyses showed that four factors were significantly associated with HBV screening and vaccination. Specifically, having health insurance (p &lt; .01), a regular physician (p &lt; .01), and college or higher degree (p &lt; .01) are significantly associated with having HBV screening. In addition, having health insurance (p &lt; .001) and a regular physician (p &lt; .001) are significantly associated with having HBV screening. Furthermore, “do not have any problems/symptoms” is the most cited reason (26.75%) for not having had HBV screening.

Conclusion: First-generation African immigrants in the study sample had very limited knowledge regarding HBV transmission, disease etiology, and severity, which should be the focus of future intervention to promote HBV screening and vaccination. Furthermore, we identified several predictors of HBV screening and vaccination among first-generation African immigrants. Specifically, low education, lack of health insurance, and access to a regular physician served as barriers to HBV screening and vaccination. Public health campaigns and policies need to address these social barriers.

Citation Format: Grace X. Ma, Adeodat Ilboudo, Omar Dibba, Lin Zhu, Yin Tan, Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi. HBV screening and vaccination among first-generation African immigrants: A pilot study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C59.