Philadelphia Conference Explores the Severity of Hepatitis B in Asian Communities

[Guest guest]

http://www.bignews.biz/?id=789982 & keys=hepatitis-Asian-Philadelphia-health

Philadelphia Conference Explores the Severity of Hepatitis B in Asian

Communities

The Hepatitis B Foundation co-sponsored a conference to inform community health

and outreach professionals about the severity and impact of hepatitis B and

liver cancer among Asian communities in Philadelphia.

The Hepatitis B Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Asian Health of

Temple University, the Asian Community Cancer Coalition, and the Philadelphia

Department of Public Health, sponsored a conference to inform community health

and outreach professionals about the severity and impact of hepatitis B and

liver cancer among Asian communities in Philadelphia. The November 6, 2008

conference attracted more than 100 participants from community-based

organizations in Philadelphia, as well as several representatives from New

Jersey, New York, Connecticut, land, Virginia, Maine and California.

The primary goal of the Philadelphia conference was to raise awareness about the

enormous burden of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Asian communities. In a

call to action, Joan Block, the Executive Director of the Hepatitis B

Foundation, stated “Hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asian communities is an

urgent health problem that needs to be addressed. Today’s conference was held to

highlight the enormous burden of this serious liver disease and to seek the

support of Philadelphia’s community-based organizations that serve Asians to

work together to address this health priority.”

With 1 out of 10 Asian Americans chronically infected with hepatitis B, this is

an urgent health priority. The conference organizers seek to sound the alarm and

mobilize community-based organizations that serve the Philadelphia Asian

communities to work together to address the problem of hepatitis B through their

existing health and social service programs.

According to Dr. Grace Ma, Founder and Director of Temple University’s Center

for Asian Health, “Hepatitis B is a disease that disproportionately affects

Asian and Pacific Islanders, the fastest growing ethnic population in the United

States. Even though Asian Americans are an underrepresented and underserved

group, we have an opportunity to seriously address this great health disparity.”

Experts shared their knowledge about the disease burden of hepatitis B at the

global and local level; the medical facts about hepatitis B and its fatal link

to liver cancer; public health research findings about the knowledge, attitudes,

beliefs and practices of Asian Americans towards hepatitis B; current national

policies that provide opportunities for positive community action; and local

resources and services available to help meet the hepatitis B needs of the Asian

communities. Presenting experts were: Dr. Esther Chernak and Ms. Tamara Brickham

of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health; Dr. Hie-Won Hann of

Jefferson University; Dr. Grace Ma of the Center for Asian Health at Temple

University; and Dr. Gang Chen and Ms. Joan Block of the Hepatitis B Foundation.

Hepatitis B is the most common liver infection in the world affecting 2 billion

people. In the U.S., it is estimated that up to 2 million Americans suffer from

chronic hepatitis B, and Asian Americans account

for more than half of these chronic hepatitis B cases. Hepatitis B and the

increased risk of liver cancer represent the largest health disparity between

Asians and non-Asians. Philadelphia has the 12th largest

Asian population of any U.S. city (219,000 Asian residents), so there is an

urgent need to educate and engage community-based

organizations about hepatitis B and liver cancer. Sharing the view of the

Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Dr. Esther Chernak stated that,

“Hepatitis B is a global disease with a local impact, but the good news is that

it is preventable and very treatable. There is much we can do to intervene and

stop the progression of this serious liver infection”.

Support for the Philadelphia conference on hepatitis B was provided by

unrestricted educational grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, and

Novartis.

[Guest guest]

http://www.bignews.biz/?id=789982 & keys=hepatitis-Asian-Philadelphia-health

Philadelphia Conference Explores the Severity of Hepatitis B in Asian

Communities

The Hepatitis B Foundation co-sponsored a conference to inform community health

and outreach professionals about the severity and impact of hepatitis B and

liver cancer among Asian communities in Philadelphia.

The Hepatitis B Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Asian Health of

Temple University, the Asian Community Cancer Coalition, and the Philadelphia

Department of Public Health, sponsored a conference to inform community health

and outreach professionals about the severity and impact of hepatitis B and

liver cancer among Asian communities in Philadelphia. The November 6, 2008

conference attracted more than 100 participants from community-based

organizations in Philadelphia, as well as several representatives from New

Jersey, New York, Connecticut, land, Virginia, Maine and California.

The primary goal of the Philadelphia conference was to raise awareness about the

enormous burden of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Asian communities. In a

call to action, Joan Block, the Executive Director of the Hepatitis B

Foundation, stated “Hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asian communities is an

urgent health problem that needs to be addressed. Today’s conference was held to

highlight the enormous burden of this serious liver disease and to seek the

support of Philadelphia’s community-based organizations that serve Asians to

work together to address this health priority.”

With 1 out of 10 Asian Americans chronically infected with hepatitis B, this is

an urgent health priority. The conference organizers seek to sound the alarm and

mobilize community-based organizations that serve the Philadelphia Asian

communities to work together to address the problem of hepatitis B through their

existing health and social service programs.

According to Dr. Grace Ma, Founder and Director of Temple University’s Center

for Asian Health, “Hepatitis B is a disease that disproportionately affects

Asian and Pacific Islanders, the fastest growing ethnic population in the United

States. Even though Asian Americans are an underrepresented and underserved

group, we have an opportunity to seriously address this great health disparity.”

Experts shared their knowledge about the disease burden of hepatitis B at the

global and local level; the medical facts about hepatitis B and its fatal link

to liver cancer; public health research findings about the knowledge, attitudes,

beliefs and practices of Asian Americans towards hepatitis B; current national

policies that provide opportunities for positive community action; and local

resources and services available to help meet the hepatitis B needs of the Asian

communities. Presenting experts were: Dr. Esther Chernak and Ms. Tamara Brickham

of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health; Dr. Hie-Won Hann of

Jefferson University; Dr. Grace Ma of the Center for Asian Health at Temple

University; and Dr. Gang Chen and Ms. Joan Block of the Hepatitis B Foundation.

Hepatitis B is the most common liver infection in the world affecting 2 billion

people. In the U.S., it is estimated that up to 2 million Americans suffer from

chronic hepatitis B, and Asian Americans account

for more than half of these chronic hepatitis B cases. Hepatitis B and the

increased risk of liver cancer represent the largest health disparity between

Asians and non-Asians. Philadelphia has the 12th largest

Asian population of any U.S. city (219,000 Asian residents), so there is an

urgent need to educate and engage community-based

organizations about hepatitis B and liver cancer. Sharing the view of the

Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Dr. Esther Chernak stated that,

“Hepatitis B is a global disease with a local impact, but the good news is that

it is preventable and very treatable. There is much we can do to intervene and

stop the progression of this serious liver infection”.

Support for the Philadelphia conference on hepatitis B was provided by

unrestricted educational grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, and

Novartis.