Abstract
BackgroundHepatitis B is an important health problem in the Turkish community in the Netherlands. Increased voluntary screening is necessary in this community, to detect individuals eligible for treatment and to prevent further transmission of the disease.MethodsWe investigated socio-cultural determinants associated with hepatitis B screening in male and female, first and second generation Turkish migrants, by means of Focus Group Discussions.ResultsSocio-cultural themes related to hepatitis B screening were identified; these were social norm, social support, sensitivity regarding sexuality, reputation, responsiveness to authority, religious responsibility, cleanliness and religious doctrine regarding health and disease, and the perceived efficacy of Dutch health care services. Motivating factors were the (religious) responsibility for one's health, the perceived obligation when being invited for screening, and social support to get tested for hepatitis B. Perceived barriers were the association of hepatitis B screening with STDs or sexual activity, the perception of low control over one's health, and the perceived low efficacy of the Dutch health care services. Reputation could act as either a motivator or barrier.ConclusionThis study identified relevant socio-cultural themes related to hepatitis B screening, which may serve to customize interventions aimed at the promotion of voluntary hepatitis B screening in the Turkish-Dutch population in the Netherlands.
Highlights
Hepatitis B is an important health problem in the Turkish community in the Netherlands
Second generation participants perceived social support as a motivating factor to get tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV); young women strongly wanted to avoid that their social environment would associate their HBV screening with sexually transmitted disease (STD) or sexual activity
This study explored socio-cultural determinants related to hepatitis B screening, and their relevance for male and female first and second generation Turkish migrants in the Netherlands
Summary
Hepatitis B is an important health problem in the Turkish community in the Netherlands. The Turkish immigration in the Netherlands dates back to the sixties, when Dutch industries started to recruit abroad in order to attract extra labour forces They targeted various countries of the Mediterranean. Seventy percent of all infections (i.e. acute and chronic infections) in the Turkish-Dutch population involve people aged between 16 and 40 In this group, the mean incidence of reported HBV infections is 122 per 100,000 Turkish-Dutch individuals, much higher than the 35 infections per 100,000 persons reported in the total population of Rotterdam, and the 9 infections per 100,000 persons reported in the general Dutch population [2]. Population-based studies indicate a prevalence of chronic HBV infections of 0.2% in the general Dutch population, and a much higher prevalence of 2.6 - 4.8% in the Turkish-Dutch population [4,8,10,11]
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