Up to 1.4 million people in the U.S. are chronically infected with the
hepatitis B virus (HBV). One of the populations disproportionately
affected by this infectious disease is the African immigrant community,
which has infection rates of approximately 10 percent 1,2. In the past,
the African immigrant community has not been a focus for national
healthcare efforts due to their small numbers. But over the last 20
years this population has more than doubled in size to over 1.6 million .
This growth, along with advances in our understanding of HBV and the
available tools to address it make this a critical time to raise
awareness among providers of healthcare and social services and African
immigrant communities about the risk for chronic hepatitis B, its
potential consequences, and opportunities for prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment.
Reaching African immigrants for HBV screening, education, or treatment
can be challenging. The group is highly diverse with many different
ethnicities and languages from countries all over the continent. The most common countries of origin for African immigrants in the U.S. are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana and Kenya. In
the U.S., African-born residents tend to live in large cities within
communities of ethnic origin. Regular and preventive healthcare is
atypical often due to lack of health insurance, financial constraints,
and traditional beliefs or customs. But it is important to increase the
number of African immigrants who get tested for hepatitis B, vaccinate
those who need it to prevent new infections, and connect those who test
positive to care and treatment to prevent disease progression or
transmission. Often, HBV screening and vaccination is available at low
or no cost at local health centers. For help finding a health center,
visit the Health Resources and Services Administration’s health center locator.
Read more...Labels: Blacks, HBV and African-Americans