title: Barriers to Accessing Testing and Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B in Afghan, Rohingyan, and South Sudanese Populations in Australia.
abstract: The burden of chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) infection and associated complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma is growing significantly in Australia due to increased migration from countries with a high prevalence of CHB. Significant barriers to screening and engagement with healthcare persist due to stigma and perceptions associated with CHB within these communities. Our study was a pilot intervention aimed at engaging Afghan, Rohingyan, and Sudanese populations into CHB care through an initial needs assessment. Twenty six patients from Afghan, Rohingyan, and Sudanese communities, identified in the Monash Health CHB database, participated in a combination of survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Language and cultural barriers, lack of HBV knowledge, housing and family reunification priorities associated with new settlement, as well as previous experiences of healthcare engagement were all identified as obstacles to accessing CHB care. Healthcare and health promotion workers should be sensitive to the additional health barriers associated with seeking asylum, as these barriers can take priority over the often asymptomatic and chronic nature of CHB. Communities with high prevalence of CHB require culturally relevant education tools delivered at a community level in order to improve their knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton VIC, 3126, Australia. kesievert@gmail.com.|Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia. kesievert@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4617-8034
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sievert
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton VIC, 3126, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Youlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Jia-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton VIC, 3126, Australia.|Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dev
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton VIC, 3126, Australia.|School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Suong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012036:Refugees; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Afghan; Chronic Hepatitis B; Healthcare engagement; Refugee; Rohingyan; Sudanese