Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus Screening Behaviors among Asian-Americans through the Lens of Social Cognitive Theory

Asian-Americans suffer from significant liver cancer disparity caused by chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Understanding psychosocial predictors of HBV screening is critical to designing effective interventions. Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-Americans in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region (N=877) were recruited from community-based organizations. Applying the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), three main theoretical constructs (knowledge, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy) were tested. Descriptive analyses using Chi-square and ANOVA and multivariate logistic regression models were conducted. About 47% of participants reported ever having screening for HBV. Vietnamese-Americans had the lowest HBV screening rate (39%), followed by Korean-Americans (46%) and Chinese-Americans (55%). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed significant effects of HBV-related knowledge on screening in all three groups, whereas self-efficacy had significant effects in the Chinese and Korean subgroups, but not Vietnamese. HBV outcome expectancy had no effect on the screening outcome in any of the groups. Additionally, consistent in all three groups, those who had lived in the United States longer were less likely to have screening. HBV screening rates in Asian Americans remain low; targeted interventions need to consider the differences across ethnic subgroups and address the psychosocial risk factors.

Antenatal hepatitis B screening in Nigeria: A comparative analysis with syphilis and HIV

Nigeria has adopted routine screening of pregnant women for hepatitis B virus (HBV) as part of the interventions to eliminate its vertical transmission. However, there is a dearth of evidence on the coverage of routine antenatal HBV screening as recommended in the national guidelines. This study examined the antenatal HBV screening rate and the positivity rate compared with syphilis and HIV. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the 2019 national HIV/AIDS health sector data. The study included approximately 2.8 million pregnant women who received antenatal care (ANC) in over 6000 health facilities providing prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services in Nigeria. Of the ANC clients, 0.2 million (7.2%) were screened for HBV. At the zonal level, the South West had the highest HBV screening rate (19%), while the lowest rate was in the North East (2.5%). The percentage of pregnant women screened for HBV was lower than those screened for syphilis (16.3%) and HIV (90.3%). Among those screened for HBV, the positivity rate was 5%. The HBV positivity rate ranged from 8.5% in the North Central zone to 1.3% in the South East zone. The positivity rates for syphilis and HIV were 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively. Our results indicate a low antenatal HBV screening rate and a wide disparity compared with HIV and syphilis. This finding highlights the need to understand and address the barriers affecting routine antenatal HBV screening and to strengthen the integration of HBV services into the HIV program in Nigeria.

Screening for hepatitis B virus prior to initiating tocilizumab and tofacitinib in patients with rheumatologic diseases: a cross-sectional study

Objective Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can reactivate among rheumatology patients initiating tocilizumab or tofacitinib. HBV screening is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), and the Canadian Rheumatology Association but is not explicitly recommended by the American College of Rheumatology. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study to characterize HBV screening practices for adult rheumatology patients initiating tocilizumab or tofacitinib before December 31, 2018, in the Greater Boston area. We classified appropriate HBV screening patterns prior to tocilizumab or tofacitinib (i.e., HBV surface antigen [HBsAg], total core antibody [anti- HBcAb], and surface antibody [HBsAb]) as: complete (all 3 tested), partial (any 1 or 2 tests), or none. We determined the frequency of inappropriate HBV testing (HBeAg, anti-HBcAb IgM, or HBV DNA without a positive HBsAg or total anti-HBcAb) and used multivariable regression to assess factors associated with complete HBV screening. Results Among 678 subjects initiating tocilizumab, 194 (29%) completed appropriate HBV screening, 307 (45%) had partial screening, and 177 (26%) had none. Among 391 subjects initiating tofacitinib, 94 (24%) completed appropriate HBV screening, 195 (50%) had partial screening, and 102 (26%) had none. Inappropriate testing was performed in 22% of subjects. Race was associated with complete HBV screening (white versus non-white, OR 0.74; 95%CI: 0.57-0.95) while prior immunosuppression was not (csDMARDs, OR 1.05, 95%CI: 0.72-1.55; bDMARDs, OR 0.73, 95%CI: 0.48- 1.12). Conclusion Patients initiating tocilizumab or tofacitinib are infrequently screened for HBV despite recommendations from AASLD and CDC.

Exploring Factors Associated With Hepatitis B Screening Among a Multilingual and Diverse Population

Background: Racial/ethnic minorities bear a disproportionate burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and disease. Disparities in HBV screening contribute to worse outcomes for communities of color. We examined the impact of race/ethnicity, language preference, and having a usual place of care on HBV screening in a multilingual, urban cohort. Methods: We used questions from the Health Information National Trends Survey and added validated questions about healthcare access and health literacy. We administered this survey in English, Spanish, and Chinese to a selected convenience sample of San Francisco city/county residents in 2017, with pre-specified targets for populations with known cancer disparities: 25% Spanish-speaking, 25% Chinese- speaking, and 25% African Americans. Using weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses, we assessed how race/ethnicity, language preference, and having a usual place of care impacts self-report of HBV screening. Results: Overall, 1,027 participants completed the survey (50% of surveys administered in English, 25% in Spanish, and 25% in Chinese). Only 50% of participants reported HBV screening. In multivariable analysis, Black (OR=0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.49), Latinx (OR=0.33, 95% CI 0.13-0.85), Asian (OR=0.31, 95% CI 0.10, 0.94), and ‘Other’ race/ethnicity (OR=0.17, 95% CI 0.05-0.53) respondents had lower odds of HBV screening compared to non-Hispanic White respondents. Participants who had insurance had increased odds of HBV screening (OR=2.70, 95% CI 1.48-4.93).Conclusions: HBV screening disparities persist for African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx, and the uninsured. Future studies should explore reasons why current strategies have not been implemented or are not successful, particularly in addressing racial/ethnic and insurance disparities.

Hepatitis B Virus Screening Before Cancer Chemotherapy in Taiwan: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Background: Reactivation of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) during cancer chemotherapy is a severe and sometimes fatal complication. In 2009, the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan recommended and reimbursed screening for HBV infection and prophylactic antiviral therapy before cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we determined the HBV screening rate in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy in Taiwan.Methods: We retrospectively collected data from the National Health Insurance Research Database on patients who received systemic chemotherapy for solid or hematologic cancers from January 2000 through December 2012. We defined HBV screening based on testing for serum HBsAg within 2 years of the first chemotherapy commencement. We calculated overall and annual HBV screening rates in all patients and subgroups of age, gender, cancer type, hospital level, physician's department, and implementation of NHI reimbursement for HBV screening before cancer chemotherapy.Results: We enrolled 379,639 patients. The overall HBV screening rate was 45.9%. The screening rates were higher in males, those with hematological cancer, those at non-medical centers and medical departments. The HBV screening rates before (2000–2008) and after the implementation of NHI reimbursement (2009–2012) were 38.1 and 57.5%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The most common practice pattern of HBV screening was only HBsAg (64.6%) followed by HBsAg/HBsAb (22.1%), and HBsAg/HBcAb/HBsAb (0.7%) (p < 0.0001). The annual HBV screening rate increased from 31.5 to 66.3% (p < 0.0001). The screening rates of solid and hematological cancers significantly increased by year; however, the trend was greater in solid cancer than in hematological cancer (35.9 and 26.2%, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: The HBV screening rate before cancer chemotherapy was fair but increased over time. These figures improved after implementing a government-based strategy; however, a mandatory hospital-based strategy might improve awareness of HBV screening and starting prophylactic antiviral therapy before cancer chemotherapy.

Hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women on antenatal visits: rapid tests or ELISA?

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health challenge with over 360 million people infected worldwide, and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg) is the most important marker for HBV screening, and HBSAg rapid screening test methods are the most widely used compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nucleic acid testing methods. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the comparative efficacy of rapid test kits and ELISA for HBV screening among pregnant women on antenatal visits and to screen for other HBV serological markers among HBsAg positive patients. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study of 172 pregnant women who were recruited consecutively on their first antenatal visit at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between November 2018 and February 2019. All participants were screened for HBsAg using both rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) and ELISA techniques. HBsAg negative samples were further screened for anti-HBeAg/Ab, anti-HBcAg and anti-HBs by ELISA. Socio-demographic data of the participants were obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire, and data were analyzed using EPI INFO 7.2 statistical software. Results: The prevalence rate of HBsAg among pregnant women in this study was 10.5% (18/172). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NPV) of the rapid ICT kit were 72.2%, 97.4%, 94.8%, 76.5% and 96.8% respectively. Level of education, previous history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and previous positive HBV results were significantly associated with HBsAg seropositivity. Majority of the pregnant women (66.9%) tested negative to all the serological markers. Conclusion: The low efficacy of rapid ICT kits compared to ELISA justifies the need to develop a safer antenatal screening strategy for HBV by combining the use of the less sensitive rapid screening techniques with the more sensitive ELISA method to limit vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus. Keywords: Hepatitis B virus; Rapid ICT kits; ELISA; pregnant women French title: Infection par le virus de l'hépatite B chez les femmes enceintes en consultation prénatale: tests rapides ou ELISA? Contexte: L'infection par le virus de l'hépatite B (VHB) est un défi de santé publique mondial avec plus de 360 million de personnes infectées dans le monde et est l'une des principales causes de décès dans le monde. L'antigène de surface de l'hépatite B (HBSAg) est le marqueur le plus important pour le dépistage du VHB, et les méthodes de test de dépistage rapide HBSAg sont les plus largement utilisées par rapport aux méthodes de test immuno-enzymatique (ELISA) et d'acide nucléique. Les objectifs de cette étude sont d'évaluer l'efficacité comparative des kits de tests rapides et de l'ELISA pour le dépistage du VHB chez les femmes enceintes lors de consultations prénatales et de dépister d'autres marqueurs sérologiques du VHB chez les patients AgHBs positifs. Méthodologie: Il s'agit d'une étude transversale de 172 femmes enceintes qui ont été recrutées consécutivement lors de leur première visite prénatale à l'Hôpital Universitaire, Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigéria entre novembre 2018 et février 2019. Tous les participants ont été dépistés pour l'AgHBs en utilisant les deux tests immuno-chromatographiques rapides (TIC) et techniques ELISA. Les échantillons négatifs à l'AgHBs ont en outre été criblés pour l'anti-HBeAg/Ab, l'anti-HBcAg et l'anti-HBs par ELISA. Les données sociodémographiques des participants ont été obtenues à l'aide d'un questionnaire semi-structuré et les données ont été analysées à l'aide du logiciel statistique EPI INFO 7.2. Résultats: Le taux de prévalence de l'HBSAg chez les femmes enceintes dans cette étude était de 10,5% (18/172). La sensibilité, la spécificité, la précision, la valeur prédictive positive (VPP) et la valeur prédictive négative (VPN) du kit ICT rapide étaient respectivement de 72,2%, 97,4%, 94,8%, 76,5% et 96,8%. Le niveau d'éducation, les antécédents d'infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST) et les résultats positifs antérieurs pour le VHB étaient significativement associés à la séropositivité de l'AgHBs. La majorité des femmes enceintes (66,9%) ont été testées négatives pour tous les marqueurs sérologiques. Conclusion: La faible efficacité des kits TIC rapides par rapport à l'ELISA justifie la nécessité de développer une stratégie de dépistage prénatal plus sûre du VHB en combinant l'utilisation des techniques de dépistage rapide moins sensibles avec la méthode ELISA plus sensible pour limiter la transmission verticale du virus de l'hépatite B. Mots clés: virus de l'hépatite B; Kits TIC rapides; ELISA; femmes enceintes

Hepatitis B Virus Screening and Real Life Data in Patients with Solid Tumor Receiving Chemotherapy

Background: Reactivation of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) either during or after chemotherapy may cause serious and sometimes fatal hepatitis. All patients undergoing chemotherapy should therefore be screened in terms of HBV before chemotherapy. The purpose of this research was to identify HBV screening rates in patients with solid cancer undergoing parenteral chemotherapy and to determine the outcomes of patients undergoing HBV screening. Methods: Data for patients undergoing parenteral chemotherapy for solid cancer from January 1, 2012 to December 30, 2018 were retrieved from our electronic health record patient files in this retrospective study. Screening was defined as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) tests carried out within six months prior the first chemotherapy session. Results: Four thousand fifty-eight (63%) of the 6440 patients who underwent parenteral chemotherapy were screened for HBsAg and/or HBcAb. The proportions of patients screened for HBsAg and HBcAb improved from 38.8% (2012) to 76.3% (2018), and from 0.2% (2012) to 43% (2018), respectively (P<0.001). The HBsAg and HBcAb positivity rates were 2.9% and 36.5%, respectively. Antiviral prophylaxis was started in 11.8% of HBsAg-negative/HBcAb-positive patients and 40.5% of HBsAg-positive patients. HBV reactivation did not occur in patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis, but was identified in 7.2% of HBsAg-positive patients and 0.6% of HBsAg-negative/HBcAb-positive patients without antiviral prophylaxis. Conclusion: Although HBV screening rates before chemotherapy are increasing among solid cancer patients, the rate of initiation of antiviral prophylaxis is still low. It is therefore important to raise awareness regarding HBV reactivation during/after chemotherapy.

1074. Understanding Screening Practices for Hepatitis B Prior to Starting Biologics at an Academic Medical Center

Background It is estimated that 0.3% of the US population has chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection, most of whom are asymptomatic. When a patient receives a biologic medication, chronic HBV can reactivate with mortality rates as high as 40%. We aim to understand HBV screening practices prior to starting biologics at a single tertiary academic medical center. Methods We retrospectively reviewed over 500 patient charts. These patients aged ≥ 18 years were prescribed a biologic medication at one of the three clinics (Dermatology, Rheumatology, or Gastroenterology) at Tufts Medical Center from January 2016 to April 2019. To determine the rate of HBV screening compliance, we reported the proportion of patients who had appropriate HBV serologies (HBV surface antigen and HBV core antibody) drawn prior to initiation of the biologic therapy. A survey was sent to providers from these departments to understand their current practices of HBV screening. Results 133 of 541 patients (25%) had been appropriately screened for HBV within six months prior to starting biologic therapy. 207 of 541 (38%) had been screened with appropriate serologies within ten years prior to starting a biologic. 23 providers participated in the survey, 7 each from the department of Rheumatology and Gastroenterology, and 9 from Dermatology. One-third of the providers were currently in training, another third were practicing for &lt; 5 years, and the remainder had &gt; 5 years of experience. 57% of the providers said they would screen everyone for HBV before starting a biologic. 78% of them chose the appropriate serologies. The time interval for rescreening was evenly spread amongst different providers, ranging from 3 months to 5 years. If a patient was switched to a new biologic, 48% of physicians would repeat screening only if the patient was determined to be at risk of reactivation or new acquisition of HBV. The major barrier to screening was uncertainty regarding who to screen and which tests to order. Conclusion This data reveals that there is inadequate screening for HBV prior to biologic therapy. The survey highlighted areas for quality improvement, including the need for wider dissemination of screening guidelines and development of a protocolized approach to ordering the correct tests. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Maintaining Hepatitis B Protection in Immunocompromised Pediatric Rheumatology and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Objective Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant public health challenge, particularly for immunocompromised patients. Our aim was to evaluate the serologic immunity in immunocompromised rheumatology and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, assess factors for serologic non-immunity and evaluate their response to one HBV booster dose. Methods Immunocompromised rheumatology and IBD patients with completed HBV screening were identified. A chart review was performed to collect demographics, clinical information, baseline HBV serology results, and serologic response to booster vaccination. Serologic nonimmunity was defined as a negative/indeterminate hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) level. Results Among 580 patients, 71% were non-immune. The highest portion of non-immune patients were 11-18 years old (p 0.004). There was no significant difference between immune and non-immune patients with regards to diagnosis (p 0.342), age at diagnosis (p 0.639), duration of treatment (p 0.069) or type of medications (p 0.080). Sixty-two percent of those who received a booster vaccine were re-screened, and most (68%) seroconverted. In those 18 years or older, only half seroconverted. Conclusion Results of this study support the benefit of HBV screening in immunosuppressed patients. Beginning at age 11 years most patients lacked serologic immunity to HBV. Seroconversion for most patients 11-18 years occurred after one booster vaccine. Thus, for immunocompromised patients without recent HBV serologic data, obtaining the HBV serology beginning at age 11 years might be considered. Those 18 years and older were least likely to seroconvert after one booster, indicating that they may benefit from receiving the three-dose HBV vaccine series.