TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatitis B virus infection and immunizations among Asian American college students
T2 - Infection, exposure, and immunity rates
AU - Lee, Haeok
AU - Kiang, Peter
AU - Watanabe, Paul
AU - Halon, Patricia
AU - Shi, Ling
AU - Church, Daniel R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Healey Grant from University of Massachusetts Boston. We would like to thank the Asian American Students Association at UMass Boston.
PY - 2013/2/1
Y1 - 2013/2/1
N2 - Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, exposure, and immunity among Asian American college students as a basis for evaluating HBV screening and vaccination policy. Participants and Methods: Self-identified Asian American college students aged 18 years or older were examined. Serological tests of HBV surface antigens, antibodies to HBV core antigens (anti-HBc), and antibodies to HBV surface antigens (anti-HBs) were used to determine HBV infection and immunization prevalence. Results: Among US-born students (n = 66), none was infected with HBV, 68% (n = 45) had immunity from vaccination, and 1 student had evidence of past exposure to HBV. Among foreign-born students (n = 142), 4% (n = 5) had evidence of chronic HBV infection, 62% (n = 88) had immunity from vaccination, and 19% (n = 27) had results indicating past exposure to HBV. Asian American college students showed very little knowledge of HBV vaccination; 43% reported that they had received vaccination, whereas 50% did not know whether they had received it or not. Conclusions: The prevalence of current and past HBV infection among foreign-born Asian American college students is significantly higher (p <.01), than US-born students. The lack of awareness of their HBV-infected status points out the importance of routine HBV screening of high-risk populations such as Asian students.
AB - Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, exposure, and immunity among Asian American college students as a basis for evaluating HBV screening and vaccination policy. Participants and Methods: Self-identified Asian American college students aged 18 years or older were examined. Serological tests of HBV surface antigens, antibodies to HBV core antigens (anti-HBc), and antibodies to HBV surface antigens (anti-HBs) were used to determine HBV infection and immunization prevalence. Results: Among US-born students (n = 66), none was infected with HBV, 68% (n = 45) had immunity from vaccination, and 1 student had evidence of past exposure to HBV. Among foreign-born students (n = 142), 4% (n = 5) had evidence of chronic HBV infection, 62% (n = 88) had immunity from vaccination, and 19% (n = 27) had results indicating past exposure to HBV. Asian American college students showed very little knowledge of HBV vaccination; 43% reported that they had received vaccination, whereas 50% did not know whether they had received it or not. Conclusions: The prevalence of current and past HBV infection among foreign-born Asian American college students is significantly higher (p <.01), than US-born students. The lack of awareness of their HBV-infected status points out the importance of routine HBV screening of high-risk populations such as Asian students.
KW - Asian Americans
KW - health disparities
KW - health education
KW - hepatitis B
KW - screening
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U2 - 10.1080/07448481.2012.753891
DO - 10.1080/07448481.2012.753891
M3 - Article
C2 - 23409856
AN - SCOPUS:84874227140
SN - 0744-8481
VL - 61
SP - 67
EP - 74
JO - Journal of American College Health
JF - Journal of American College Health
IS - 2
ER -