Increasing Hepatitis B Screening Among
Korean Church Attendees
Roshan Bastani, PhD
Vicky Taylor, MD, MPH
Beth Glenn, PhD
Annette Maxwell, DrPH
Angela Jo, MD, MPH
Weng Kee Wong, PhD
Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigator (FHCC)
Co-Investigator
Co-Investigator
Co-Investigator
Co-Investigator
UCLA School of Public Health, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center, Division of Cancer Prevention & Control Research
Study funded by the National Cancer Institute
Focus on Korean Americans
2nd highest liver cancer
rates among Asians
3rd most populous
Asian group
Up to 12% of Koreans
chronically infected
with hep B
Low hep B serologic
testing rates
Immigrant population =
greater hep B risk
No liver cancer
prevention efforts
targeting Koreans
Results of Pilot Study in
Korean Community
141 Korean Americans from churches and a clinic
Only 56% ever had a hepatitis B test
34% did not know Koreans at higher risk for hepatitis B
Only 36% knew hepatitis B infection can be lifelong
Common barriers to testing
Fear of a bad diagnosis (75%)
Cost of test (61%)
Time (46%)
Church preferred site to receive health information vs.
worksite, clinic, health fair
Rationale for Church-Based
Intervention
No evidence based
programs for
hepatitis B
Church-based
programs successful
in other minorities
80% of Koreans
attend church
regularly
Adaptation
necessary: for
content & ethnicity
Small group:
Cost-efficient &
consistent
More likely to
be sustained
after grant
Study Design
Identification of
Churches (n = 40)
Intervention Churches
N=20
Comparison Churches
N=20
In-Person Baseline
Interview
In-Person Baseline
Interview
N = 448
N = 448
Hepatitis B
Small Group Session
Physical Activity/Nutrition
Small Group Session
6-Month Telephone
Follow-up Interview
The Health Behavior Framework
INTERVENTIONS
Individual Factors
Knowledge
Communication &
rapport with provider
Health Beliefs
Social Support
Cultural Factors
Barriers/Supports
Intentions
Hepatitis B
serologic
testing
Institutional Factors
Language differences
Navigation problems
• Demographics
• Medical History
• Insurance
Group Intervention Session: Process
Blend of discussion group
& educational presentation
Information presented verbally, visually
and in-print to enhance interest
& retention
Group format
Culturally competent
intervention
Social norms &
Active participation
Assures acceptance
& effectiveness
Strengths of Projects
Adaptation of existing church based programs focused
on increasing hepatitis B testing
Opportunity to document process of adaptation
Utilizing a rigorous evaluation
Collaboration across CPCRN network sites will allow for:
Sharing of complementary expertise and experiences
Understanding of similarities and differences between Koreans
and Chinese
Lessons learned can be used to adapt programs for other
ethnic groups at risk for hepatitis B and liver cancer