title: Hepatitis B-related knowledge and vaccination in association with discrimination against Hepatitis B in rural China.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a challenging public-health issue in China. Hepatitis B carriers and patients suffer not only physically but also experience strong discrimination and stigma. China's rural population is 629 million. Thus, there is a great need to understand the situation surrounding HBV-related discrimination in everyday life in rural China. We studied 6,538 participants (≥18 y old) from 42 villages across 7 provinces (districts). Many studies have addressed discrimination against those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, few studies have addressed HBV-related discrimination. We found that the fear of HBV infection, not lack of knowledge about it, predominantly leads to HBV-related discrimination (although limited knowledge is also a cause). Notably, receiving the HBV vaccination contributes to reduced discrimination. In addition, the existence of fewer misunderstandings about false HBV transmission routes plays a more important role in discrimination than does understanding of true HBV transmission routes. Therefore, to reduce HBV-related discrimination, policy makers should consider eliminating HBV-related fear, strengthening adult HBV immunization programs, developing large-scale education dissemination about HBV transmission routes and non-transmission routes, and paying greater attention to target populations.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Social Medicine and Health Management; Center for Health Economic Experiment and Public Policy; School of Public Health; Shandong University ; Jinan China.
authors.forename: Lijie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Social Medicine and Health Management; Center for Health Economic Experiment and Public Policy; School of Public Health; Shandong University ; Jinan China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: b Center for Health Policy and Management; Institute of Medical Information & Library; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Peking Union Medical College ; Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Social Medicine and Health Management; Center for Health Economic Experiment and Public Policy; School of Public Health; Shandong University ; Jinan China.
authors.forename: Anli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leng
authors.affiliation: c Department of Health Management and Health Economics; University of Oslo ; Oslo , Norway.
authors.forename: Knut R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Wangen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D063508:Social Discrimination; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
keywords: HBV vaccination; Knowledge; Rural China; discrimination