Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: an expanding problem with low levels of awareness in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
With the Westernization of the lifestyle and the rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging health problem in the Asia-Pacific region. The purpose of this study was to determine the awareness of NAFLD among the general population in Hong Kong.


METHODS
A random telephone survey was conducted from September 2007 to January 2008 using a structured multiple-choice questionnaire. Subjects were Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above who spoke Cantonese.


RESULTS
In the first phase of the telephone survey, 521 subjects were interviewed and the results showed that as high as 83% of respondents had never come across the term 'NAFLD'. Upon completion of the second phase telephone survey, a total of 508 respondents who had heard of NAFLD were successfully interviewed. Of the 508 respondents, nearly half of them (42%) expressed no idea about the prevalence of NAFLD in Hong Kong. About half of respondents (47%) knew nothing about the clinical presentation of NAFLD. The majority of them (78%) had a misconception that blood tests could provide a definite diagnosis of NAFLD. Smoking, hepatitis B carriage and a past history of hepatitis A infection were cited as risk factors of NAFLD by 52%, 57% and 42% of respondents, respectively. Of the 508 respondents who had heard of NAFLD, most of them perceived that their knowledge of NAFLD was either inadequate (46%) or highly inadequate (35%).


CONCLUSIONS
This survey revealed an inadequate knowledge of NAFLD among the general population in Hong Kong.
Leung
Chi Man
CM
The Hong Kong Liver Foundation, SBI Centre, Central, Hong Kong. dr_cmleung@hotmail.com
Lai
Lawrence Siu Wing
LS
Wong
Wing Hang
WH
Chan
Kam Hoi
KH
Luk
Yiu Wing
YW
Lai
Jak Yiu
JY
Yeung
Yat Wah
YW
Hui
Wai Mo
WM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D032882:Comprehension; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult