Hepatitis B awareness and knowledge in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive parturient immigrant women from West Africa in the Bronx, New York

Syed A. Shah, Kelsey Chen, Shashidhar Marneni, Ghizlane Benchekroune, Rafiu Ariganjoye, Murli Purswani, Ayoade O. Adeniyi, Ronald Bainbridge, Maria T. Timoney, Stefan Hagmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

An increasing proportion of foreign-born residents in the Bronx, New York are African immigrants from West Africa, a region with a very high hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence. Charts of 114 HBsAg positive parturients who gave birth between 2004 and 2008 in a community hospital in the Bronx were retrospectively reviewed. Most were of West-African origin (88%). Acute hepatic inflammation was rare (4%). Active viral replication (Hepatitis B e-antigen positivity) was noted in a minority (7%), but in 3/5 (60%) HIV co-infected women. Among the West-African immigrant women who agreed to be interviewed (n = 39), only half (54%) had ever heard of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and their knowledge of HBV was mostly incomplete. This study shows that pregnancy-related health interventions may offer unique opportunities to link such women to specialist care and initiate culturally sensitive HBV-relevant education for the index case and her family.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)302-305
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume17
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Hepatitis B awareness and knowledge in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive parturient immigrant women from West Africa in the Bronx, New York'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this