Jade Ribbon Arizona Blog

Ask a Hepatologist

Lloyd Y. Asato — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:36:41 +0000

Mark N. Wong, M.D., a hepatologist with Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, answers your questions in our segment called Ask a Hepatologist. Sponsored by Jade Ribbon Arizona (www.jaderibbon.net), a program of Asian Pacific Community in Action (www.apca-az.org). Hosted by Lloyd Y. Asato.

Please help us spread the word that there is a test, there is a vaccine, and there is treatment. Encourage your friends to Get Tested! If you want to put this video on your website or MySpace page use this code and please share this YouTube video. Thank you very much for reading.

A reflection on our strategy of workplace testing.

Lloyd Y. Asato — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:58:30 +0000

When we designed this campaign, we thought that a key success factor would be our ability to partner with large employers to conduct workplace testing and vaccinations. Large employers, our thinking went, have lots of employees and a communication infrastructure. They also care about the health of their employees and would welcome the opportunity to educate and vaccinate. Executives of large employers can be great evangelists and could help us outreach to other large employers. Employees of large employers usually have healthcare and a medical home for follow-up care.

I talked to several HR managers from large employers about partnering with Jade Ribbon Arizona to conduct an education campaign, mass-vaccination, and targeted testing campaign at their site. I expected concerns and was ready to address them. I was instead met with firm resistance.

They stated a concern about EEOC and protected classes (race and national origin) because of our campaign focus on Asians and Pacific Islanders.

They stated concerns about discrimination because of a stigma attached to Hepatitis B virus. I asked what the stigma was. They responded that they were concerned that there was a stigma that linked Hepatitis B virus with risky behavior.

They stated concerns about the blood draws (testing) and needle sticks (vaccinations) and about employee privacy.

I was prepared to address each of their concerns, but the resistance remains firm. Please help me rethink this.

Ask a Hepatologist.

Lloyd Y. Asato — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:15:38 +0000

Next month, I have a chance to sit down with a physician specialist in hepatitis B virus and liver disease. We are recording an interview in which he has agreed to answer my questions about hepatitis B virus, management and treatment of a chronic infection, and others.

Got a question? Now is your chance to ask a Hepatologist. Email your questions to me at lloyd(a)jaderibbon.net and I will ask them on your behalf and present the answers here on the blog.

—EDIT on 21 December 2007—

Thank you for the suggestions. Here is the list of questions we will be presenting. Want to add to the list, please contact me.

Is hepatitis B virus dangerous? Why should I care about hepatitis B virus?

I heard that a lot of Asians have hepatitis B virus. Is this true? Why?

Should I get tested for hepatitis B virus? What is the test like?

I heard there was a vaccine. Who should get vaccinated?

If I have hepatitis B, is there a cure?

What should I do, if I have hepatitis B?

Do I have to go to a special doctor?

Can I stop treatment if I feel okay?

If I have hepatitis B, how do I protect my family?

Jade Ribbon Arizona Update

Lloyd Y. Asato — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:09:25 +0000

We are planning two large-scale mass testing and vaccination events in partnership with Arizona State University. One tentatively scheduled for mid-February with the College of Nursing at the downtown campus and the other with the team at the ASU Student Health Clinic on the Tempe campus. Details to follow.

We have also started to work on a draft “patient empowerment tool” and will be convening focus groups around its development. The tool is designed to facilitate communication between the patient and provider. We will be piloting a Chinese language one first then convening other groups around a Vietnamese and Korean version.

In preparation for the development of the tool we have been having informal conversations with people about how they communicate with their provider. Want to share a story? Contact me at lloyd(a)jaderibbon.net.

Live Webcast - 28 November 2007 11:00 a.m. MST

Lloyd Y. Asato — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:04:56 +0000

Thank you to everyone for participating in the meeting and webcast. The archive video of the meeting has been posted below.

The Meeting Wiki will be updated shortly to reflect the discussions.

Report back from conference calls, discuss and prioritize JRAC research (knowledge) efforts, discuss and prioritize outreach and marketing efforts, strategize and initial planning for valley-wide testing and vaccination efforts.

Location: Asian Pacific Community in Action, 6741 N. 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014 Google Map Link

Because it takes a team…

Lloyd Y. Asato — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:52:04 +0000

There are a wonderful and amazing people who are working to prevent the spread of hepatitis B virus and we want to connect with them and hear their stories. This is why we created the Team Jade Ribbon Social Network Site powered by Elgg.

We chose Elgg because it is an open source, community supported site. It has the features we needed and are able to host it on our own servers.

The idea to use a social networking system was to facilitate communication and sharing of information. It also provides team members with the tools to communicate and share.

Team Jade Ribbon Social Network Site

21 November 2007 JRAC Conference Call MP3 Podcast (CDs also available)

Lloyd Y. Asato — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:27:04 +0000

The MP3 recording of the 21 November 2007 JRAC Conference Call is now available. The recording is 49 minutes long. CDs of the conference calls are also available. Please contact Lloyd Y. Asato to request a CD or alternative media.

Show Notes and Time-stamps

Producer’s note: We lost the first minute of the recording due to loud static feedback. The recording starts in the middle of the introductions.

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome - Lloyd Y. Asato
00:17 - Doug Hirano, MPH, Asian Pacific Community in Action
07:40 - Sue Wang, RN, Hepatitis B Support Group
11:24 - Shwuig Fu, Publisher, Asian American Times
21:52 - Q&A

Questions I am pondering.

Lloyd Y. Asato — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:27:05 +0000

Awareness

Is there an immediate concern within our community about the risk posed by hepatitis B virus?
What are the community’s immediate concerns and can these be broadened/linked to hepatitis B virus?
Does the community understand and are they aware of how hepatitis B virus affects them?

Motivation

Does motivation exist in our community to increase testing and vaccination for hepatitis B virus?
Is there an interest to work together on this issue?

Small Geographic Area

Is the focus for our efforts within a defined and manageable geographic area?
Do the people we need to reach identity themselves as belonging to the same community?

Flexibility and Adaptability

Are community members open to change?
Do community norms, language, and culture place rigid restrictions on problem solving and task accomplishment?

Preexisting Social Cohesion

Is there a stable population of people to work with?
What groups are not well connected?
What are the commonly held values?

Ability to Discuss, Reach Consensus, and Cooperate

Does this community have a history of working together to solve problems or help people?

Erin Peacock, MPH - College of Public Health, University of Arizona

Lloyd Y. Asato — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:18:55 +0000

Erin Peacock, MPH is the Assistant Program Director of Planning and Evaluation at the College of Public Health, University of Arizona and the evaluator for the Jade Ribbon Arizona campaign. We talk about program evaluation and its importance in project design.

Jade Ribbon Arizona Wiki Updates

Lloyd Y. Asato — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:55:27 +0000

Updated the Jade Ribbon Arizona Campaign wiki, adding table of contents and section headings.

Wiki may be found here: http://wiki.jaderibbon.net