Community-based Hep B Intervention for Hmong Adults

University Of California At Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Unlike other ethnic groups who attribute their origin to a single country, Hmong Americans originate from[unreadable] the mountainous regions at the confluence of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The U.S. government resettled[unreadable] Hmong who escaped from Southeast Asia to California and the Midwest. At the time of migration, the[unreadable] Hmong were pre-literate, believed in animism, and were accustomed to an agrarian lifestyle. Our latest[unreadable] California data indicate that the age-adjusted male incidence rate for liver cancer for Hmong is 25.7/100,000[unreadable] compared to 3.7/100,000 for non-Hispanic white males and 8.8/100,000 for female Hmong compared to[unreadable] 1.5/100,000 in non-Hispanic White females.[unreadable] The purpose of this study is to increase the hepatitis B serological testing for Hmong adults and[unreadable] secondarily to increase their knowledge levels of hepatitis B and liver cancer. Over the five year research[unreadable] tudy, we propose to: (1) measure the baseline proportion seroloically tested for hepatitis B [HBV] among[unreadable] Hmong, ages 18-64, in the Greater Sacramento Area; (2) Develop an intervention using lay health workers[unreadable] to promote serological testing for HBV and increase knowledge of HBV among Hmong adults; (3) Evaluate[unreadable] the effectiveness of the lay health worker intervention by conducting a randomized, controlled trial among[unreadable] Hmong adults aged 18-64 not previously tested for HBV; and (4) Characterize facilitating and impeding[unreadable] factors associated with serological testing for HBV among Hmong adults. To achieve these Aims, universitybased[unreadable] researchers will work collaboratively with Hmong bilingual interviewers, community leaders, and[unreadable] agencies in conducting a baseline assessment of serological testing among Hmong and follow with[unreadable] randomizing those who have not been serologically tested for HBV into intervention or control conditions.[unreadable] We shall use the Health Behavior Framework to guide our study and the lay health worker teams as the[unreadable] intervention agents . Intervention effectiveness will be based on the basis of self-reported serological testing[unreadable] rates that will be also verified through medical records check. We have detailed the training and evaluation[unreadable] of lay health workers and have incorporated rigorous safeguards to minimize contamination. As a[unreadable] consequence of this study, we expect data on the empirical effectiveness of a lay health worker intervention[unreadable] model for increasing serological testing for HBV and that the burden of HBV-induced liver cancer reduced.