By Ben To
Hepatitis B is a silent killer in Asian populations in the United States, and we don’t even know it. Asian Americans represent 60% of all hepatitis B (HBV) cases in the United States. HBV is highly contagious and is transmitted from mother to child and through contact with bodily fluids. The virus is especially alarming, considering how it can be a pathway to liver failure and a highly fatal form of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Without treatment, people who develop cancer from hepatitis B can die within a few months of receiving a diagnosis due to the symptoms appearing much later in the course of the disease. This highlights the urgency of this matter and the importance of treatment for HBV and protective measures when possible.
As an Asian American myself, and knowing my family and community, I believe that there is a lack of action when it comes to screening and testing for HBV in Asian American communities. Inaction on this matter could mean that people unknowingly living with HBV may have a greater likelihood of developing liver cancer. With such a large Asian community in King County, we must make it our duty to bridge this gap and connect this community to the resources they need. HBV should be a major concern for Asian Americans, especially those who were born in their native countries. This disproportion is due to a lack of or insufficient preventive practices and processes in their home countries, such as screening for mothers and HBV vaccines. This concern is further reinforced, considering that the virus can manifest without symptoms for years or decades.
Overall, many Asian Americans are unaware of their status and may not have access to antiviral treatments. When paired with a lack of education, stigmatization also presents a barrier when it comes to seeking and accessing proper care. From my experiences engaging with Asian communities and my own family, people often shun or look down upon those who have diseases, which, I think, is intensified by anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia. Recently, there has been a push to create more affordable and accessible care options. However, there have been fewer interventions that target stigma reduction. I think that addressing the stigma surrounding HBV is the key to getting people to take charge of their health. To do this, we must all play a role in spreading the word about this condition through advocacy, such as creating or joining grassroots movements, hosting community events, or simply through word of mouth. Destigmatization must happen at the community or personal level because education alone is not effective and must be supplemented with “stigma-sensitive” approaches from trusted people or groups.
Putting information into perspective, Asians rank as the second-largest ethnic group in King County, making up approximately 19.8% of the population (or roughly 447,000 residents). Moving forward as a community, we must take action and motivate not only ourselves to get screened/tested and vaccinated, but also to encourage our family and friends to take care of their health. In terms of accessibility, there are many low-barrier resources available for free and/or at low cost in the county, such as local public health centers and the Hepatitis Education Project (1621 S Jackson St, Seattle) if you live in or near Seattle. It is up to us to advocate on behalf of this community and to destigmatize HBV through action and example. I hope that through utilizing more personal approaches to HBV, we improve upon and learn from our experience, further developing approaches to culturally sensitive care for Asian Americans. Action needs to start now, so that we can provide a safer and healthier environment for all.
Ben To is a student in the Public Health-Global Health major with a concentration in Global Health at the University of Washington.
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