Hep B Blog

Category Archives: Hepatitis B Advocacy

May 19 is National Hepatitis Testing Day

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month and Saturday, May 19this National Hepatitis Testing Day in the United States. This day is an opportunity to increase awareness and testing for both hepatitis B and C. It is also a reminder for health care providers and the public of the importance of testing for viral hepatitis.

Why is hepatitis B testing necessary? Hepatitis B is largely asymptomatic, which means that symptoms don’t always occur or are not obvious. Some people will not know that they have hepatitis B until it is too late, or they may learn of their infection from a blood donation screening or lab work.  There are groups of people who have a greater risk of hepatitis B compared to others, so it doesn’t hurt to be sure. here are some places around the world that have an extremely high hepatitis B prevalence (where many people are infected). It is important that people who are at high risk for a hepatitis B infection see a doctor to get tested, to find out if they have a hepatitis B infection. People living with chronic hepatitis B should be monitored regularly and appropriately screened for liver cancer. So, if you find you do have hepatitis B, talk to your doctor about what to do next.

Remember, hepatitis B does not discriminate. Don’t wait for symptoms. B sure. B tested. If you do not have hepatitis B, then give yourself lifelong protection with the hepatitis B vaccine. The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective. Children or adults can get the 3-shot vaccine series, and there isa newly approved two-dose adult vaccine to protect us against hepatitis B! However, the vaccine doesn’t work if you are already infected.

Don’t forget to check out these free, confidential hepatitis screenings this weekend! Check out Hep B United’s resource to find local events in your area. You can also visit the CDC’s website for more ideas on how to increase awareness on National Hepatitis Testing Day, and every day!

Hepatitis Victoria’s “Little Hep B” Hero Book

Hepatitis Victoria in Melbourne, Australia recently released their “bright, colorful, positive and silly” children’s book, Little Hep B Hero! In addition to creating a book, Hepatitis Victoria also created an animation.

Little Hep B Hero, which is available in English, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese, gives children and their families a delightful glimpse into a young girl’s visit to her neighbor and friend, Rosa. As Rosa and the young girl prepare food and lemonade together, Rosa tells her about living with chronic hepatitis B. Rosa explains what the liver does, what hepatitis B is, how the virus is transmitted, how she maintains a healthy lifestyle with chronic hepatitis B, and shares tips on preventing hepatitis B transmission. Little Hep B Hero also provides cute and easy to understand visuals of the little girl as a superhero while Rosa explains this information.

The book does an excellent job of explaining liver functions and what the hepatitis B virus does to the liver! The analogy of using a sieve to demonstrate how the liver filters toxins in the body was creative. The book also does a great job of indirectly tackling some myths associated with hepatitis B. For example, people are often hesitant to share meals with those living with chronic hepatitis B. Little Hep B Hero lets its audience know that you cannot get hepatitis B through food preparation or sharing a meal, so Rosa cooks a meal for her neighbors.

Little Hep B Hero is an important read for future generations and their families! Getting the conversation started early about hepatitis B will address the stigma and discrimination associated with it. When children are talking about hepatitis B and are knowledgeable about it, hepatitis B isn’t a scary topic anymore. The message of hepatitis B as a family matter highlights the importance of educating and testing family members.

For more information, check out their press release, and to purchase Little Hep B Hero, visit Hepatitis Victoria’s website here.

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month

Hepatitis Awareness Month is dedicated to increasing awareness of hepatitis in the United States and to encourage high risk populations to get tested. If you’re not sure how you can get involved in the hepatitis B community this month, here are some ways you can!

  • Share and spread hepatitis B knowledge. CDC’s Know Hepatitis B Campaign is a great resource to learn more about hepatitis B and to promote testing in your area! They also have great posters, handouts, and videos available in different languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, French, and more! You can also look for some of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s fact sheets and #justB storytelling campaign videos.
  • Join or organize a screening event. May 19th is National Hepatitis Testing Day! Organizations around the country will provide viral hepatitis screenings – both hep B and C! Be sure to look for some Hep B United partners’ websites for screenings in your local area, especially if you’re interested in volunteering.
  • Organize or join a flash mob to increase awareness! With our local hepatitis B campaign in Philadelphia, Hep B United Philadelphia, we held a “B A Hero Flash Mob” in the past. It is a great way to open the discussion about hepatitis B in an engaging and fun way!
  • Become an HBV advocate! You can join our Hep B United Action Center to get all the updates on our advocacy efforts. You can also share your hepatitis B knowledge on social media too!
  • Check out and share Hepatitis Victoria’s Little Hep B Hero book and animation. Hepatitis Victoria created an engaging book to explain hepatitis B to six to twelve-year-old children. Their book is available to order and in English, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese.
  • Join the #HepAware Thunderclap. You can easily share and show your support for CDC Hepatitis’s efforts by joining their Thunderclap by May 19th, Hepatitis Testing Day. You can use Facebook, a Facebook page you manage, Twitter, and Tumblr.
  • Join our international #HepBeLIeVER Social Media Contest. Not only will you be spreading hepatitis B awareness, but you can also get a chance to WIN a $50 AMAZON GIFTCARD and other Hepatitis B Foundation swag. All you have to do is take a picture loving your liver and upload it to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with #HepBeLIeVER. More information here.

There are endless possibilities to celebrate this month! If you need even more ideas, CDC has a plethora of resources available dedicated to Viral Hepatitis Awareness month. You can also check out our Hepatitis Awareness Month webinar from Hep B United, NASTAD, and CDC or Hep B United and NOHep’s webinar: The NOHep Fight for Elimination!

A Day in the Life of Program Managers: #justB Workshop

Welcome to a Day in the Life of Program Managers! Join Catherine Freeland, MPH, and Rhea Racho, MPAff for a day in their work life and the justB workshop.

#justB: Real People Sharing Real Stories of Hepatitis B” is collaboration between the Hepatitis B Foundation, Story Center, and Association of Asian Pacific Health Organizations (AAPCHO) to share the stories of people affected by hepatitis B. The episode highlights the workshop and process our storytellers go through to develop their impactful stories.

Music
Clouds – Joakim Karud

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Vlog: What Do We Do at a Hep B Screening?

Join Kristine Alarcon, MPH for A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator to learn about some of the activities we at the Hepatitis B Foundation take part in!

This episode highlights our events for our local program, Hep B United Philadelphia, during January 2018. We show you the “behind-the-scenes” of a hepatitis B screening event.

The Woodchuck Colony Legacy

Bud Christopher Tennant, DVM (1933-2016)

Did you know that the hepatitis B virus doesn’t just infect humans? It also infects chimpanzees1, tree shrews1, Peking ducks1, horses2, and woodchucks2. The hepatitis B virus that infects woodchucks is closely related to the human hepatitis B virus.2 Because of this, woodchucks have been a prominent animal model in studying the hepatitis B virus and testing drugs for the disease.2,3

Behind every legacy, there is a man who started it all. In the case of the woodchucks and hepatitis B, there was Bud Tennant, DVM. Dr. Tennant was a California native, born in the San Joaquin Valley.2 He studied veterinary medicine, earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California at Davis in 1959. 2 As a veterinarian, Dr. Tennant conducted research in comparative medicine focusing on hepatocarcinogenesis (development of liver cancer), hepatic injury mechanisms, viral hepatitis, and gastrointestinal and liver diseases of domestic animals.2

His work in hepatitis started during his tenure as the James Law Professor of Comparative Medicine at Cornell University, where he studied the pathogenesis of serum hepatitis in horses.2 He would not work with woodchucks until Dr. Norman Javitt, Chief of Gastroenterology at Weill-Cornell Medical College at the time, approached him, urging the need for an animal model for studying hepatitis B virus to understand pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis B. Dr. Javitt introduced him to Drs. Jesse Summer and William Mason’s research on a new virus infecting woodchucks, its close relation to human hepatitis B virus, and its association with chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer.

Dr. Tennant spent over thirty years on the study of Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus infection,  working with a colony of woodchucks in Ithaca, New York. 2 He developed the woodchuck as a successful animal model to learn how hepatitis B effects the liver, including the development of liver cancer. His work with the woodchuck model ultimately enabled scientists to run clinical therapeutic trials for treating hepatitis B in humans. 2 In fact, preclinical studies for almost every hepatitis B therapeutic drug licensed by the FDA have been conducted using the woodchuck model! Today, the Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus infection study continues at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. 2

Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg would also contact him to work together on fighting the hepatitis B virus in humans.

Dr. Bud Tennant is famous in the scientific world for his game-changing work in hepatitis B, and won many awards. At the 2016 Hepatitis B Foundation Crystal Ball, Dr. Tennant was presented with the 2016 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize, the Foundation’s highest honor. 2 He was also beloved by those who worked with him. He was known as “a towering physical presence, yet soft spoken and humble, and he was greatly admired for his good nature and his ability to share a story on just about any topic.” 2 Though Dr. Tennant passed away in 2016, he will always be remembered for his unwavering commitment, and thought of as a valued friend and mentor to many scientists. 2

References:

  1. Schinazi, R.F., Ilan, E., Black, P.L., Yao, X., & Dagan, S. (1999). Cell-based and animal models for hepatitis B and C viruses. Antiviral Chemistry & Chemotherapy, 10, 99-114.
  2. Ithaca Journal. (2016, Nov 29). Bud Christopher Tennant. Retrieved from: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theithacajournal/obituary-print.aspx?n=bud-christopher-tennant&pid=182819897
  3. Hepatitis B Foundation. (2016). HBF at the Forefront: Hepatitis B Foundation Hits Nearly $125,000 Monte Carlo Jackpot!, B Informed, 69, 5.

Improving Health-Related Quality of Life with a Chronic Condition

Image courtesy of Pexels

Do you ever feel like life is kicking you in the butt? Or do you ever feel like life is dragging you down? Though it may be hard preventing negativity from pulling you into a rut when you have a chronic condition, like hepatitis B, being more positive can help lift your spirits. When you do this, you can improve your health-related quality of life!

Though there is no set definition for health-related quality of life, the CDC defines it as an individual’s or a group’s perceived physical and mental health over time. Health related quality of life explains how a person’s physical, emotional, mental and social aspects impact their overall life. Health-related quality of life can impact your overall well-being, which the CDC defines as “a positive outcome that is meaningful for people.” Basically, improving health-related quality of life and overall well-being can help people feel that things are going well in their lives. Ultimately, this can help decrease stress and improve how well someone manages a chronic illness. This can be very useful for those of us living with the physical, emotional and social aspects of chronic hepatitis B..

Here are some tips and suggestions on how you can improve your health-related quality of life:

  • Make healthy lifestyle changes. You can develop a healthy lifestyle by starting a healthy diet, an exercise routine, or incorporating daily meditation. If you are don’t know where to start, try to find a workout buddy, join an online support group, or look through the many free apps that are available. There are also YouTube videos that can help you find workout routines and diet plans. And you don’t have to do it all at once – even small changes can make a big difference!
  • Keep a journal. This is a great opportunity to chronicle your progress towards a healthy lifestyle, and keep track of other milestones in your life. “Gratitude journals” are also very popular – you can spend time writing about one thing a day that you are thankful for – many people enjoy looking back over time to see how all of those “gratitudes” add up. People often say that this helps them to feel better and even appreciate life more. You can search online for “journal topics” or “journal exercises” to help you start a journal.
  • Find inspiration. Get some inspiration and tips from others who are going through the same thing! You can check out our #justB storytelling campaign about stories of how people cope with hepatitis B and liver cancer. We also have an empowering story from a liver cancer survivor.
  • Connect with a good support system. Spend time with people who make you feel better emotionally and physically! When you are in good company, you will feel more positive and happy too. You should also find out who is on your HBV Team!

These are just a few tips and suggestions on how you can improve your health-related quality of life. There are many articles and resources online with more tips and suggestions on how to improve your quality of and feel more positive! Some websites include CDC’s Health-Related Quality of Life program, advice on how to cope with your chronic illness from HealthCentral, and Huffington Post’s Habits to Improve your Life.

Remember that everyone goes through ups and downs in life, especially those of us living with a chronic illness. But working to make small, positive changes in your life gives you the power to live your best life!

Vlog: “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children” Screening

Join Kristine Alarcon, MPH for A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator to learn about some of the activities we at the Hepatitis B Foundation take part in!

This episode highlights our special film screening of “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children.”

Check out our previous blog post for more information about the event here and our last vlog here.

Vlog: A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator

Join Kristine Alarcon, MPH for A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator to learn about some of the activities we at the Hepatitis B Foundation take part in!

In this vlog, Kristine and her colleagues participate in an Asian American Pacific Islander Town Hall to voice their concerns about hepatitis B in the Philadelphia community. They also attend the 2017 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival for a screening of the Hepatitis B Foundation‘s #justB storytelling campaign.

 

Hepatitis B Foundation Mini-Grantees 2016

At the Hepatitis B Foundation, we have many research and programs throughout the year. With the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), we co-founded and co-chair Hep B United, a national coalition dedicated to reducing the health disparities associated with hepatitis B by increasing awareness, screening, vaccination, and linkage to care for high-risk communities across the United States. The coalition works to reduce the impact of hepatitis B through prevention and education efforts, addressing perinatal transmission, improving screening and linkage to care, contributing to national surveillance data, and advocating on a national level.

Last year, the Hepatitis B Foundation offered mini-grants for one year to Hep B United coalition partners working on hepatitis B education, screening and linkage to care activities. These grants ranged between $5,000 to $10,000 each. The mini-grants were offered to enhance the capacity of Hep B United coalition partners to conduct HBV education, testing and linkage to care in their local Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA & NHPI) communities to advance the hepatitis B priority areas of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan (VHAP).

Courtesy of CPACS

The 2016-17 project year offered grants to 9 coalition partners, which included Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Inc (CPACS), Hepatitis B Initiative-Minnesota (HBI-MN), Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA), Hepatitis B Initiative-DC (HBI-DC), Asian Services in Action (ASIA), Asian American Community Services (AACS), Asian Pacific Health Foundation (APHF), and HOPE Clinic. Together, Hep B United coalition partners screened 4,649 people, educated and reached out to 11,884 people, and distributed 13,112 handouts. Some coalition partners were featured in  newspapers, on TV with 496,189 views, and in a social media video. Mini-grantees also participated in activities such as developing key partnerships in local communities, providing linkage to care, and conducting provider training. One coalition partner also screened the “Be About It” documentary.

For 2017-2018 mini-grants, six Hep B United coalition partners (listed below) were recently awarded mini-grants. We are excited to kick off these projects and look forward to their future endeavors and results.

·     Asian American Community Services (Columbus, OH) -AACS’ Live Healthy – Hep Free project will use the H+EAL model to increase HBV education and awareness and encourage testing by targeting high school students and their parents.

·       Asian Pacific Community in Action (Phoenix, AZ) – APCA will be organizing community town hall events in collaboration with the #justB campaign across Maricopa County to collect and share stories that promote increased awareness and proactive approaches to treatment for hepatitis B.

·       Asian Pacific Health Foundation (San Diego, CA) – APHF will be working to increase community knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B, determine gaps in knowledge, develop in-language education materials, and provide hepatitis B screening within high-risk communities throughout San Diego.

·       Asian Services in Action (Cleveland, OH) – ASIA will be using community health outreach workers to increase HBV education and screening, including outreach to AAPI businesses in Akron and Cleveland, OH.

·       Center for Pan Asian Community Services (Atlanta, GA) – CPACS’ project focuses on expanding their Atlanta-based hepatitis B coalition, increasing the number of Georgia AAPI community members who know their HBV status through community and provider education, and improving testing and linkage to care services throughout the city.

·       Philadelphia Department of Public Health (Philadelphia, PA) -The Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program auxiliary project will create new education modules for prenatal and pediatric care and conduct on-site provider education sessions to improve knowledge and care for infected mothers.

The 2017-18 project period expanded its priorities to address perinatal transmission and education through storytelling efforts with the #JustB Storytelling Campaign in addition to screenings and linkage to care.   The overall success of the Hep B United mini-grants has been proven through the significant number of high-risk populations educated, screened and linked into appropriate care for hepatitis B.   We look forward to updating you further in the coming months as we continue to highlight the national work of the Hepatitis B Foundation and Hep B United partners around the U.S.