Hepatitis B Sero-Prevalence and Risk Behaviors Among Immigrant Men in a Population-Based Household Survey in Low-Income Neighborhoods of Northern California

• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-009-9239-6
• Publication Date: 2009-03-24T10:12:46Z
• Authors: Vivian Levy; Jinwei Yuan; Juan Ruiz; Scott Morrow; Juan Reardon; Mathew Facer; Fred Molitor; Barbara Allen; Barbara Green Ajufo; Geneva Bell-Sanford; Willi McFarland; Henry F. Raymond; Tim Kellogg; Kimberly Page
• Keywords: Adult; Male; 0301 basic medicine; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B vaccine; Asia; Adolescent; Epidemiology; Emigrants and Immigrants; California; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Risk-Taking; Sociology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Immigrants; Medicine & Public Health; Humans; Poverty; Original Paper; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; 1. No poverty; Hispanic or Latino; Hepatitis B; International & Foreign Law/Comparative Law; 3. Good health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Population Surveillance; Public Health/Gesundheitswesen

Despite an effective vaccine, 60,000 new HBV infections were reported in the US in 2004; 95% in adults. We evaluate HBV sero-prevalence, risk behaviors and self-reported vaccination among Latino immigrant, Asian immigrant and US born low income men in five northern California counties.Population based, cross sectional survey of HBV sero-prevalence and risk behaviors in men aged 18 to 35 years.Among 1,512 men screened, Asian immigrants were most likely to have had prior HBV infection (15.1%) and chronic infection (3.8%) compared to US born (prior 5.1%, chronic 0.6%) and Latino immigrant men (prior 2.0%, chronic 0.3%.) Reported HBV vaccination was lowest for Latino immigrants (12%) compared to Asian immigrants and US born men (35% in both.) Latino immigrants reported less educational attainment, medical insurance coverage and access to a physician in the last six months.Healthcare providers should routinely screen Asian immigrants for HBV regardless of their self reported vaccination status. Latino immigrants may comprise an important group of under-vaccinated, at risk persons in California. HBV testing and vaccination of immigrants soon after US arrival should be encouraged.