Abstract
Asians are disproportionately affected by chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection and its fatal consequences. The Hep B Free campaign
was launched to eliminate HBV in San Francisco by increasing awareness, testing, vaccination and linkage to care. The campaign
conducted 306 street intercept and telephone interviews of San Francisco Asians to assess current levels of HBV knowledge,
testing behaviors and effectiveness of existing campaign media materials. One-third of respondents ranked HBV as a key health
issue in the Asian community, second to diabetes. General HBV awareness is high (85%); however, a majority could not name
an effective prevention method. Sixty percent reported having been tested for HBV; provider recommendation was the most often
cited reason for testing. Respondents reported a high level of trust in their providers to correctly assess which health issues
they may be at risk for developing and test accordingly, confirming that efforts to increase HBV testing among Asians must
simultaneously mobilize the public to request testing and compel providers to test high-risk patients. Regarding community
awareness, more than half reported hearing more about HBV recently; younger respondents were more likely to have encountered
campaign materials and recall correct HBV facts. Assessment of specific campaign materials found that while upbeat images
and taglines captured attention and destigmatized HBV, messages that emphasize the pervasiveness and deadly consequence of
infection were more likely to drive respondents to seek education and testing. The campaign used survey results to focus efforts
on more intensive provider outreach and to create messages for a new public outreach media campaign.
was launched to eliminate HBV in San Francisco by increasing awareness, testing, vaccination and linkage to care. The campaign
conducted 306 street intercept and telephone interviews of San Francisco Asians to assess current levels of HBV knowledge,
testing behaviors and effectiveness of existing campaign media materials. One-third of respondents ranked HBV as a key health
issue in the Asian community, second to diabetes. General HBV awareness is high (85%); however, a majority could not name
an effective prevention method. Sixty percent reported having been tested for HBV; provider recommendation was the most often
cited reason for testing. Respondents reported a high level of trust in their providers to correctly assess which health issues
they may be at risk for developing and test accordingly, confirming that efforts to increase HBV testing among Asians must
simultaneously mobilize the public to request testing and compel providers to test high-risk patients. Regarding community
awareness, more than half reported hearing more about HBV recently; younger respondents were more likely to have encountered
campaign materials and recall correct HBV facts. Assessment of specific campaign materials found that while upbeat images
and taglines captured attention and destigmatized HBV, messages that emphasize the pervasiveness and deadly consequence of
infection were more likely to drive respondents to seek education and testing. The campaign used survey results to focus efforts
on more intensive provider outreach and to create messages for a new public outreach media campaign.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-15
- DOI 10.1007/s10900-011-9452-9
- Authors
- Rita Shiau, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 101 Grove Street, Room 408, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
- Fred Bove, The Henne Group, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Jeff Henne, The Henne Group, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Janet Zola, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 101 Grove Street, Room 408, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
- Ted Fang, AsianWeek Foundation, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Susan Fernyak, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 101 Grove Street, Room 408, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
- Journal Journal of Community Health
- Online ISSN 1573-3610
- Print ISSN 0094-5145