title: Knowledge and behaviors toward hepatitis B and the hepatitis B vaccine in the Laotian community in Minnesota.
abstract: Minnesota is home to a large population of immigrants from Laos as well as one of the largest disparities in hepatitis B (HBV) infection; in Minnesota, Asians are 80 times more likely to be infected than Whites. In response to community concern, a community-based participatory research project was conducted involving a cross-sectional study of 167 adult Laotian immigrants in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area assessing knowledge and behaviors related to HBV and its vaccine. Fifty-eight percent of the participants reported not knowing about HBV and just under half incorrectly reported on person-to-person transmission. As expected, vaccination and screening for HBV was more common among those who knew of HBV (p = 0.02 for both). Fourteen (8.4 %) of the participants had been vaccinated, however, only 2 (14.8 %) of those individuals received all three doses. This study outlines gaps in knowledge and resources that could address the staggering HBV disparity in this community.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 1300 S. 2nd Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. Xiong195@umn.edu
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Ruby H N
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strayer
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chanthanouvong
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines