RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Differences in Knowledge of Hepatitis B Among Vietnamese, African- American, Hispanic, and White Adolescents in Worcester, Massachusetts
JF Pediatrics
JO Pediatrics
FD American Academy of Pediatrics
SP 1212
OP 1216
VO 104
IS Supplement 6
A1 Wiecha, John M.
YR 1999
UL http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/104/Supplement_6/1212.abstract
AB Objective. To assess the level of knowledge about hepatitis B of Vietnamese adolescents, a group at high risk for hepatitis B, and compare it to the knowledge of adolescents of other races and ethnicities.Methods. A sample of 2816 adolescents was surveyed in 1993 in 2 middle schools and 2 high schools in Worcester, Massachusetts, using a self-administered multilingual questionnaire.Results. Knowledge of hepatitis B was low overall. Vietnamese respondents were more likely than were other students to know that hepatitis B affects the liver (35.6% vs 22.6%). However, they were much less likely than were other students to correctly identify sex with an infected person as a risk factor for infection (13.7% vs 32.8%). Independent predictors of this knowledge were: white race; older age; attending high school versus middle school; having been taught about hepatitis B in school; knowing the definition of hepatitis B; reporting better grades; having a family member with hepatitis B; and being more highly acculturated.Conclusions. Adolescent knowledge about risk of infection was low in this study. Attention should be directed at providing health education on hepatitis B to adolescents, particularly to Vietnamese. Health care providers, community health educators, and others engaged in the effort to control and eradicate hepatitis B should be sensitive to the unique educational and cultural needs of high-risk southeast Asian adolescent populations.