HCV screening behaviors and infection status among Vietnamese Americans

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify socio-economic and acculturation factors associated with hepatitis C (HCV) screening and infection among US Vietnamese Americans. Methods: Participants were recruited from 7 Vietnamese community-based organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The analysis ultimately included 309 participants who participated in a HCV education intervention program. Results: Overall, 82.5% (255 of 309) intervention participants completed HCV screening over the 6 months prior to the post-intervention assessment. In multivariate-adjusted analysis, participants who lived in Vietnam for 40 years versus 20 years were more likely to receive HCV screening; unemployed individuals were less likely to receive HCV screening than employed people. Among screened participants, 7.5% had HCV infection. Conclusions: These findings will guide future culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions to reduce HCV infection and HCV-related liver cancer.