Factors associated with knowledge and awareness of Hepatitis B in individuals of Chinese descent: Results from a mass point of care testing and outreach campaign in Toronto, Canada.

Background: Migrants from hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic regions are at high risk of having chronic infection. Despite this, HBV knowledge and awareness programming, and low-barrier screening methods such as point of care (POC) testing, among this group have yet to become routine.
Methods: We conducted a mass HBV POC screening and knowledge and awareness campaign for individuals of Chinese descent in Toronto, Canada. POC screening was administered, then participants completed a knowledge questionnaire. Logistic regression identified associations between demographic factors and participants' level of HBV knowledge.
Results: From 2015 to 2018, 33 outreach events resulted in 891 individuals completing testing and the knowledge questionnaire. Individuals averaged 64.4 years old. Most, 62% ( N = 552), were female, and 73.6% ( N = 656) have been in Canada for <30 years. The average questionnaire score was 70.7% correct, with 65.2% ( N = 581) demonstrating a high level of HBV knowledge. Post-secondary education (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.39), income of $50,000 to <$75,000 (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.39, 5.43), and having familial history of HBV (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.78) were associated with high knowledge. The observed prevalence of HBV was 1.5%, with 13 individuals testing positive on the POC test and confirmatory laboratory testing.
Conclusions: Improving knowledge and awareness of HBV is critical to empowering people, especially migrants who experience barriers to care, to pursue vaccination, testing, and treatment. Combining knowledge outreach and POC test campaigns, enabled discussion and screening for HBV with large numbers of people, and can be tailored for optimal effectiveness for specific groups.
Competing Interests: JJF has received consulting support from AbbVie, Enanta, Gilead, Janssen, and Roche, and research funding from AbbVie, Abbott, Gilead, and Enanta. BEH has received consulting support from Intercept, Cymabay, Mirum, Albireo, Chemomab, and Caliditas, and research support from Intercept, Cymabay, Mirum, and Albireo. HLAJ has received research support from AbbVie, Arbutus, Bristol Myers, Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck, and Roche, and consulting support from Aligos, Arbutus, Arena, Eiger, Enyo, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Merck, Regulus, Roche, VBI Vaccines (Variation Biotechnologies), Vir Biotechnology, Inc, and Viroclinics. DW reports research support from Gilead, BMS, Vertex, and Boehringer. MJB has received research support from AbbVie, Gilead Sciences and Cepheid. CY has received consulting fees from Abbvie, and patient education grant from Gilead.
(© Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver, 2024.)