Abstract PR02: Improving monitoring and treatment adherence among underserved Asian Americans with chronic hepatitis B through a patient navigator-led intervention

Abstract

Abstract Background: Asian Americans have the highest incidence and mortality rates of hepatocellular carcinoma among all U.S. racial/ethnic groups. Inadequate hepatitis B (HBV) monitoring and treatment contribute to poorer outcomes and increased healthcare costs. We conducted a Patient Navigator-led Intervention (PNMI) through a randomized controlled trial to improve monitoring and treatment adherence among Asian Americans with chronic HBV infection. Methods: From 2015 to 2017, we enrolled 532 eligible Asian American adults living with chronic HBV (CHB) in greater Philadelphia area, New Jersey, and New York City. They were non-compliant with HBV follow up care, and randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. Generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM) were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for the rates of doctor’s visit for CHB and having ALT test. Results: Our findings indicated that intervention group had higher rate of doctors’ visits than that of control group at both 6-month (77.22% v. 45.75%) and 12 months assessments (90.73% v. 60.61%). More intervention group participants received ALT test than control group did at 6-month (52.90% v. 25.10% at 6 months) and 12-month (75.40% v. 46.75%). Results of the GLMM showed that those in the intervention group were more likely than those in the control group to have doctor’s visit and ALT test at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Conclusions: The findings from this culturally and linguistically appropriate PNMI intervention demonstrated strong effects on adherence to hepatitis B virus (HBV) follow-up care among non-adherent Asian American patients living with chronic HBV infection. These findings suggest opportunities for implementation the evidence-based best practice that could lead to reducing disparities in chronic liver disease and liver cancer among high-risk, underserved populations. Citation Format: Grace X. Ma, Lin Zhu, Shumenghui Zhai, Yin Tan, Xiaoli Ma, Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi, Michelle Naidoo, Tsunyou Ting, Min Qi Wang. Improving monitoring and treatment adherence among underserved Asian Americans with chronic hepatitis B through a patient navigator-led intervention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PR02.