Differences in Knowledge of Hepatitis B Among Korean Immigrants in Two Cities in the Rocky Mountain Region

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Purpose To assess knowledge and attitude toward hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among Korean
immigrants in two cities in the Rocky Mountain region and to determine whether sociodemographic and
cultural factors are related to the level of HBV knowledge.
Methods Community-based participatory study was conducted in five Korean churches in the Rocky
Mountain region to develop baseline data on HBV infection and vaccination behavior. All documents,
including announcements, brochures, consent forms, and questionnaires were in Korean and English, and
trained Korean interviewers collected the surveys by reviewing the questionnaires with participants at the
churches.
Results Knowledge of HBV infection was low and city of residence did not have a statistically significant
impact on HBV infection knowledge. In the total sample, 62% identified transmission by sharing utensils
and 21% believed that HBV was hereditary, while only 21% thought that HBV was spread through sexual
contact. The majority of participants (61%) rated their English level as “minimum”. Knowledge of HBV
infection was found to be associated with both demographic and acculturation factors (p < .05).
Conclusion This study found not only a low level of knowledge of HBV infection but also misunderstanding
of the risks of HBV infection. Knowledge of HBV infection was significantly associated with education
and acculturation; therefore, culturally sensitive and group-tailored public health education for
Korean and other Asian American Pacific Islanders should be developed to clarify misconceptions and
misunderstandings about HBV infection.

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