San Francisco Hep B Free: A Grassroots Community Coalition to Prevent Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer and the largest health disparity between Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) and the general US population. The Hep B Free model was launched to eliminate hepatitis B infection by increasing hepatitis B awareness, testing, vaccination, and treatment among APIs by building a broad, community-wide coalition. The San Francisco Hep B Free campaign is a diverse public/private collaboration unifying the API community, health care system, policy makers, businesses, and the general public in San Francisco, California. Mass-media and grassroots messaging raised citywide awareness of hepatitis B and promoted use of the existing health care system for hepatitis B screening and follow-up. Coalition partners reported semi-annually on activities, resources utilized, and system changes instituted. From 2007 to 2009, over 150 organizations contributed approximately $1,000,000 in resources to the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign. 40 educational events reached 1,100 healthcare providers, and 50% of primary care physicians pledged to screen APIs routinely for hepatitis B. Community events and fairs reached over 200,000 members of the general public. Of 3,315 API clients tested at stand-alone screening sites created by the campaign, 6.5% were found to be chronically infected and referred to follow-up care. A grassroots coalition that develops strong partnerships with diverse organizations can use existing resources to successfully increase public and healthcare provider awareness about hepatitis B among APIs, promote routine hepatitis B testing and vaccination as part of standard primary care, and ensure access to treatment for chronically infected individuals.

Factors Associated with Hepatitis B Knowledge Among Vietnamese Americans: A Population-Based Survey

“…The higher rates of knowledge in our study may be due to the fact that our study followed a media intervention in Northern California. There may also have been ongoing community eforts to increase awareness of HBV [24][25][26]. Even though the percentage of participants in this study knowing that HBV could be transmitted by sexual intercourse with an infected person, by sharing toothbrushes, and by an infected person who looks and feels healthy were higher than previous studies [15,23], they are still suboptimal.…”

Hepatitis Prevention Project in the Korean American Community in Killeen, Texas

“…For example, 10% of foreign-born Asians and 1 out of every 14 Korean natives are infected with hepatitis B (1,(8)(9)(10). In contrast, <0.5% of the general US population is infected (1,11). Since the advent of the hepatitis B vaccine in 1982, these deaths have been entirely preventable.…”

“…Since the advent of the hepatitis B vaccine in 1982, these deaths have been entirely preventable. However, the vaccine remains grossly underutilized, especially in high-risk populations (11).…”

Hepatitis B in the United States: A major health disparity affecting many foreign-born populations

“…In San Francisco, CBOs, health care organizations, and community leaders have united as part of the Hep B Free campaign to provide free or low-cost hepatitis B screening and vaccination to Asian communities throughout the city. 16 Unfortunately, examples of strong hepatitis-related CBO partnerships from other cities are few; a national search identified only 55 CBOs providing HBV prevention services, and almost all function without federal support. 17 Community health centers and health care systems serving foreign-born populations also can play a vital role in ensuring that these persons are educated about their risk for HBV and provided with preventive services, including testing and linkage to care.…”