CDC Launches First National Campaign to Increase Hepatitis B Testing among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Editor’s note: In an event at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week, CDC and its partner Hep B United launched a new national public awareness campaign that encourages screening for hepatitis B among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The new campaign supports implementation of the federal government’s Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. Among the speakers at the event were several HHS officials including Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health Dr. Nadine Gracia as well as Ms. Kiran Ahuja, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, CDC’s Dr. John Ward, and Jeffrey Caballero, co‐chair of Hep B United, at the Know Hep B campaign launch in Washington, DC.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched Know Hepatitis B, a nationwide coalition of community organizations working to increase hepatitis B awareness and testing.

“If you or your parents were born in Asia or the Pacific Islands, it is critical that you get tested for hepatitis B,” said Howard Koh, M.D., M.P.H., assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Everyone in the Asian American community – from individuals, to community leaders, to physicians – can all help us put an end to this epidemic by getting tested and talking about hepatitis B.”

In the U.S., Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are one of the groups hardest hit by hepatitis B, which can cause potentially fatal liver damage, including liver cancer. Hepatitis B-related liver cancer is a leading cause of death among many in these communities. Hepatitis B is especially common in many Asian and Pacific Island countries, and many with chronic hepatitis B became infected as infants or young children. It is usually spread when someone comes into contact with blood from someone who has the virus.

It is estimated that 1 in 12 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is living with hepatitis B. Yet, as many as 2 in 3 living with the virus do not know they are infected, because the disease often has no symptoms until serious liver damage has already occurred. Testing allows those with hepatitis B to take steps to protect their health, including starting treatment that can delay or reverse the effects of liver disease.

“Hepatitis B is one of the most severe health disparities facing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” said John Ward, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis. “With greater awareness and testing, we can save lives and decrease the burden of hepatitis B in Asian American communities and throughout the United States.”Know Hepatitis B is designed to resonate with those most affected by hepatitis B, and was developed with input from Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from around the country. It will deliver culturally relevant messages in multiple languages, including English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese, through a wide range of channels, including:

• Online and print ads and public service announcements in media outlets serving Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
• Social media and digital materials to encourage testing
• Outreach led by Hep B United and its local partners to mobilize communities to get tested
• Outreach to health professionals to educate them on the importance of hepatitis B testing for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Many of the campaign’s messages build on the strong family ties relevant to many Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures. For example, one ad features a father and his young daughter with the tagline, “I’m an invincible Dad, a thoughtful husband. I get tested for hepatitis B.” Another encourages U.S.-born Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to talk to their parents about getting tested.

Know Hepatitis B is part of CDC’s ongoing efforts to prevent illness and death due to hepatitis B.

For more information on the new campaign, visit the following links:

• Fact Sheet: Know Hepatitis B – Combating One of the Most Severe Health Disparities Facing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
• Campaign materials in Chinese, English, Korean and Vietnamese including fact sheets and posters
• Infographic “If you or your parents were born in Asia or the Pacific Islands”
• Campaign website: Know Hepatitis B