Disease Alert
Hepatitis B in the community

Hepatitis B is often referred to as a “silent killer” because 70 percent of its victims have no symptoms. As a potentially life-threatening virus of the liver, Hepatitis B is especially prevalent in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Although AAPIs account for only 4 percent of the overall country’s population, they make up over 50 percent of the 1.3 million chronic Hepatitis B cases in the United States. Half of the mortalities caused by this disease are people of Asian decent. Hepatitis B prevention is a particularly pressing issue in the Korean-American community. Korean Americans are one of the most likely Asian populations to contract Hepatitis B, second only to Vietnamese. Korean Americans have eight times the risk of liver cancer when compared to their Caucasian counterparts.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world. The Hepatitis B virus is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids, and attacks the liver and, in some cases, causes cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Who gets Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an equal opportunity disease — everyone is at risk. However, these people are at higher risk for contracting Hepatitis B:

> Partners of those who are diagnosed with Hepatitis B

> Infants born to infected mothers

> Children of immigrants from areas of high HBV rates

> Health care and public safety workers

> Injection drug users

> Those who have multiple sex partners

> Men who have sex with men

How do you know if you have Hepatitis B?

Since most people who are infected do not have any symptoms, the only way to be positive of your diagnosis is with a blood test. Some symptoms that are commonly attributed to Hepatitis B include fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea and jaundice, but these symptoms may not develop until late in the disease progress. For Korean Americans, it is important to get tested even if you do not have symptoms.

KHEIR, as a leader in community health, has taken initiative to establish education and prevention programs regarding Hepatitis B. KHEIR is working with the Los Angeles County Asian Pacific Islander Hepatitis B Task Force to raise awareness and increase immunization rates and efficacious policies to the AAPI community in the greater Los Angeles area. Clinical services, such as screenings and vaccinations, are offered at our Health Services Center located in Koreatown at 266 S. Harvard Blvd on the third floor. For more information or inquiries, or to schedule an appointment, call (213) 637-1070.

Job Openings

HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator

RN and LVN

Social Worker (with and MSW or MSG Degree)

Program Aides

Activity Coordinator

Those interested in any of these positions should fax a resume to Andres Lee at (213) 427-4008.