Hepatitis B Awareness among Hmong Youth

By: Ka Zoua Vang, HmoobTeen Editor, Minneapolis, 18

Hepatitis B, known as the silent disease, is the number one leading cause of liver cancer in the world. In the United States, 0.1% to 1.2% of the general population is infected with Hepatitis B; but in Asian American Pacific Islander population, 12% of children and 3% to19% of adults are infected. It is very important that Hmong teens are aware of what hepatitis B is and the chronic affects; for the reason that in a study of Hmong patients attending a St. Paul family practice residency clinic, the results came out with rates of hepatitis B being highest, 28%, among patients’ ages 15-19 years of age.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infectious illness that causes inflammation of the liver. It is common in many places, particularly Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, Africa and areas of South America. About 15 to 25 percent of people with chronic hepatitis B eventually die of liver cancer.

Who is at risk?

• Newborn babies and children
• Teens ages 15-19
• All foreign-born people (immigrants, refugees) born in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and other regions in the world with high hepatitis B infection.

How is Hepatitis B spread?

Hepatitis B is spread through blood and other bodily fluids such as:

• An infected mother to her child during birth
• Having sex with an infected person without using a condom
• Coming into contact with blood or open sore of an infected person
• Sharing needles, syringes or other drug preparation equipment
• Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person

Hepatitis B is not spread through food, water, coughing, sharing eating utensils, hugging, holding hands or kissing.

What are symptoms of Hepatitis B?

Most children and babies with Hepatitis B don’t have symptoms and may not look sick or feel sick. Most adults however may experiences symptoms of Hepatitis B including:

• Loss of appetite
• Yellowing of skin and eyes
• Nausea, vomiting
• Fever
• Weakness, tiredness
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine

How to prevent yourself from hepatitis B infection?

Getting vaccinated is the best protection. This vaccine helps prevent liver cancer caused by the hepatitis B virus. The hepatitis B vaccination can be given safely to babies, children and adults and is usually given as three doses over a period of 6 months.

Check with your healthcare professional or clinic to see if your insurance plans cover the cost of this vaccine. Most health plan does because it is recommended routinely for all U.S children under 18 years of age. If you are uninsured, ask your health professionals for assistance and advice.

How do you know if you have hepatitis B?

Only a blood test will tell for sure if a person is infected, have been infected or is not infected. If the tests show that a person has not been infected, they can get vaccinated against hepatitis B. If the blood tests shows that a person had been infected but fought off the infection and is now immune, nothing more needs to be done. If the test shows that a person is currently infected, they should seek a healthcare professional who is experienced in the field of health care with liver disease for proper treatments and care.

Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.bfreenyc.org

www.cdc.gov/hepatitis