As an Asian American woman in her 20s, I could spend my weekend eating with friends, hiking a popular trial or hitting up a local popup market. Last Saturday, you might have found me at one such popup, Burlingame’s Family Fun Fair, but not in front of a booth, rather behind one, as a hepatitis B educator. A woman urgently looked up at me, “1 in 12? That’s crazy! I was born in China but have lived here for 20 years. Do I have liver cancer?” I answered her question, handed her a brochure and thanked her for listening.
So why am I teaching about hepatitis B on a Saturday? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 12 Asian/Asian Pacific Islander immigrants has chronic hepatitis B in the United States. It is particularly dangerous because it often shows no symptoms and, if left untreated, one in four will develop serious liver complications and possibly liver cancer, ultimately resulting in death. Hepatitis B is transmittable through blood and sex. Most of those infected, contract the disease at birth from mothers unaware that they themselves are infected. Fortunately, there is a safe and effective vaccine and early detection and monitoring of the hepatitis B virus prevents progression of disease. With this information, you would think that this would be a big deal, that counties, cities and health systems would mobilize to squash this totally preventable disease. Yet public education on the disease is virtually nonexistent and most are totally unaware of the problem until it’s too late. Nearly 1 in 3 residents of San Mateo County are Asian or Pacific Islander — that’s 250,000 San Mateo County residents at risk.
It was after learning these facts that I joined SF Hep B Free-Bay Area, dedicated to increasing awareness, education and hepatitis B testing efforts for the Asian/API population in San Francisco and San Mateo County. In the work, I came to see my own family and community reflected back at me; my immigrant Filipino family, my other first generation friends and their parents, my neighbors, the list went on. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was raised in a predominantly Asian community. It frightened me to think that so many could be living with such a dangerous disease. It came as a shock to me that I, as a college student bound for a health care career, knew nothing about a disease that so adversely affects my own community. Now, my own initial ignorance has become a motivating force in my work. If I didn’t know, imagine how many others are in the same boat.
“So, what is stopping us from beating hepatitis B?” one man asked me, stepping into the shade of my booth’s canopy. I explained to him that some of our biggest barriers are misinformation surrounding hepatitis B combined with the cultural barriers. Many don’t realize that their regular annual physical doesn’t include a hepatitis B test or that their doctor may have forgotten that Asians are at particular risk for this disease. Others struggle with cultural taboos around disease whether it be associations with promiscuity or notions that discussing disease brings bad luck or misfortune to the family. Lack of education propagates myths that hepatitis B can be spread through sharing food, kissing or hugging. The stigma and misinformation surrounding those who have the disease often limits them from living full and happy lives.
As our conversation came to a close, the woman smiled and told me she would let her friends and family know — sometimes that’s the best we can hope for. Packing up for the day, I know most people won’t give up a Saturday for this work but passing along this information, while a simple task, could save lives. While you and your friends may not be at risk for liver cancer, try taking a few moments to share this information. You just might save a life ... and you won’t have to give up your Saturdays to do it.
Amihan Zapanta-Arroyo is a San Francisco native and recent UC Berkeley graduate. When she’s not out doing community advocacy, she enjoys writing, hiking around the Bay, and brunch. To learn more about hepatitis B, World Hepatitis Day July 28 and what you can do to help, please visit sfhepbfree.org for more information.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.