1. HEPATITIS B (HBV) AWARENESS
SURVEY IN ASIAN COMMUNITIES (2012)
Preliminary Release of Survey Findings
May 30, 2012
Division of Gastroenterology – VGH
The Gordon and Leslie Diamond Centre

2. Target Ethnic Populations in Greater Vancouver
Regional District (2006 Census)
Target Ethnic
Populations in GVRD
(2006 Census) Total Population % Sample N=1000
Chinese (Mandarin and
Cantonese) 402,000 52.30% 523
South Asians 208,535 27.10% 271
Filipinos 83,760 10.90% 109
Korean 46,040 6.00% 60
Other SE Asians 28,705 3.70% 37
Total 769,040 100% 1,000
A proportionate random sample representing the GVRD ethnic populations of
Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Korean and other SE Asian (including
Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, etc.) decent at a confidence
level of +/- 2.2% of the total sample estimates 19 times out of 20.

3. Aware of a disease called HBV?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South
Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians
(n=37)
Yes 79 88 56 88 77 82
No 19 10 40 9 16 13
Uncertain 3 2 4 3 7 5
General awareness of the disease HBV was relatively high
(79%), with Chinese and Filipino populations reporting the
highest awareness at 88%. Awareness was lowest among
South Asians at 40%. Koreans are the second least aware
group.

4. Awareness that HBV is a cause of liver cancer …
… a cause of cirrhosis?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians (n=37)
HBV is a cause of liver cancer
TRUE 62 75 48 45 51 51
FALSE 12 9 10 19 32 29
Don't know 26 17 42 36 16 21
HBV is a cause of cirrhosis
TRUE 61 77 39 50 59 28
FALSE 7 4 5 14 26 23
Don't know 31 19 55 35 17 49
Awareness that HBV is a cause of liver cancer was lowest among Filipino (45%),
South Asians (48%) and Korean (51%) populations. Awareness that HBV is a
cause of cirrhosis was particularly low among South Asians (39%) and South
East Asians (28%).

5. Do you have a family doctor? Annual physical
check up including blood test by a doctor?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians
(n=37)
Have a family doctor
Yes 92 92 94 89 78 97
No 8 8 6 11 22 3
Annual physical check up including blood test by a doctor
Yes 69 62 83 78 47 80
No 31 38 17 22 53 20
Of those surveyed, 92% claimed to have a family doctor and 69% have an
annual physical which includes a blood test. Chinese (38%) and Korean
(53%) were the highest populations that did not report an annual physical
including blood tests.

6. Have you ever been tested for HBV?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians
(n=37)
Yes 49 60 24 62 33 54
No 45 36 67 32 62 31
Uncertain 6 4 9 6 5 15
Almost half of the respondents (49%) indicated that they have been tested
for HBV, with Filipinos (62%), Chinese (60%) and South East Asian (54%)
the most likely to have been tested. South Asians (24%) and Koreans
(33%) are least likely to have been tested for HBV.

7. Have you been diagnosed with having HBV? Has
anyone in your family been diagnosed of having
HBV?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians (n=37)
Have ever been diagnosed with HBV
Yes 6 8 1 4 5 8
No 91 87 99 92 90 78
Uncertain 4 4 0.1 4 5 14
Family member has been diagnosed of having HBV
Yes 8 12 5 4 10 3
No 89 86 94 94 85 85
Uncertain 2 2 1 3 5 12
6% of those surveyed reported being diagnosed with HBV, with Chinese (8%)
and South East Asian (8%) being the highest reported ethnic groups. Next are
Koreans (5%) and Filipinos (4%).

8. Those who are diagnosed with HBV …
Percentage
(%)
Total
(n=56)
Chinese
(n=44)
South Asians
(n=2)
Filipino
(n=4)
Korean
(n=3)
Other SE
Asians (n=3)
Are you currently treated by your doctor for HBV (if yes)?
Yes 30 26 100 27 69 0
No 70 74 0 73 31 100
Are you currently taking medication for HBV (if yes)?
Yes 10 10 0 0 33 0
No 88 90 100 75 67 100
Uncertain 2 0 0 25 0 0
Of those who are diagnosed with HBV the majority are not being treated by a
doctor for their condition (70%). 74% of the Chinese diagnosed and 73% of
the diagnosed Filipinos are not receiving treatment for HBV.
A higher majority (88%) of those who have been diagnosed with HBV are not
taking medication for the disease. This majority includes 90% of the Chinese
who have been diagnosed.

9. HBV is a concern of Asian community? HBV
education adequate in the community?
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians (n=37)
HBV is a concern of Asian community?
Yes 48 55 32 49 54 48
No 24 19 33 25 33 23
Uncertain 28 27 35 26 13 29
HBV education adequate in the community?
Yes 20 13 22 36 47 23
No 56 61 58 34 35 52
Uncertain 24 25 20 30 18 25
Only about half of those surveyed (48%) correctly recognized that HBV would
be an area of concern for the Asian community while 56% in the survey agreed
that HBV education about the disease is not adequate in the community; a
higher percent (61%) felt the same among the Chinese.

10. Hepatitis education for Asian communities more
effective in:
Percentage
(%)
Total
(N=1,000)
Chinese
(n=523)
South Asians
(n=271)
Filipino
(n=109)
Korean
(n=60)
Other SE
Asians
(n=37)
Ethnic
languages 80 85 90 40 77 66
English 5 3 4 13 10 16
No
difference 15 12 7 47 13 18
The majority of respondents (80%) felt that education about Hepatitis would
be more effective in their ethnic languages, particularly South Asians (90%)
Chinese (85%) and Koreans (77%).

11. Chronic diseases that have received sufficient
funding from government?
34
43 41
23 25
19
35
Percentage % (N=1,000)
Amongst the major chronic diseases like hypertension, cancer, diabetes,
tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and HIV/AIDS,
Hepatitis B is identified by the ethnic communities to receive the least
(19%) sufficient funding support from the government.

12. Conclusion in three words …
Magnitude + Seriousness = Great Needs
60,000+ HBV
patients
Liver cancer
Cirrhosis
HBV health
education
8% identified
HBV family
members
70% HBV
patients not
treated by doctor
Early diagnosis &
medical
intervention
Unknown # of
undiagnosed
88% HBV
patients not taking
medication
Chronic disease
management
This is the MSG of HBV