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Hepatitis B and liver cancer beliefs among Korean immigrants in Western Washington
Author(s) -
Choe John H.,
Chan Nadine,
Do H. Hoai,
Woodall Erica,
Lim Eunyoung,
Taylor Victoria M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.21518
Subject(s) - medicine , vietnamese , immigration , liver cancer , hepatitis b , population , cancer , demography , ethnic group , vaccination , focus group , hepatitis b virus , gerontology , immunology , environmental health , virus , philosophy , linguistics , business , marketing , sociology , anthropology , history , archaeology
Hepatocellular cancer occurs more frequently among Koreans, Vietnamese, and Chinese than other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. This excess risk can be attributed to high rates of chronic hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection and low rates of HBV vaccination among Asian immigrants. However, there is little available information regarding the hepatitis B knowledge, beliefs, and practices among Koreans, the fifth‐largest Asian population in the U.S. This brief report summarizes results from 30 qualitative interviews and two focus groups investigating hepatitis and liver cancer prevention, behavior, and beliefs among first‐generation Korean immigrant adults ages 18–64 years residing in the Seattle–Tacoma metropolitan area of Washington State. The report concludes with suggestions for future investigations to address the high rates of chronic HBV infection and hepatocellular cancer in this vulnerable population. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.