A disease more prevalent than HIV/AIDS and just as deadly is affecting more and more Asian Pacific Americans.
According to emedicinehealth.com, Hepatitis B is “a general term that means inflammation of the liver.” There are a number of causes, including human infection, an immune system disorder, smoking and continuous heavy alcohol consumption.
Unlike HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B is curable with a vaccine, yet it garners far less national attention and funding for research. It is endemic in China, affecting over 50 percent of the population. Additionally, it affects 40 to 60 percent of the total population of Asia, according to Dr. Larry H. Shinagawa, director of Asian American studies and associate professor of American Studies at the university.
“Such a disease spreads very, very easily,” said Shinagawa. “It is transmitted either through unsanitary
conditions or during sexual intercourse. It…can also be congenital,” which means the gene can be passed from parent to child.
Many APAs may be unaware of both the risks and the ways Hepatitis B can be transferred from one person to another.
Stephanie Chang, second year doctoral student in the College Student Personnel Program, discovered she is positive for the Hepatitis B antibody when she tried to donate blood to the American Red Cross as an undergraduate.
“A few weeks after donating, I received a letter from the Red Cross stating I have the Hepatitis B antibody,”Chang said.
The letter informed her that, “they cannot accept my blood because I am positive for the Hepatitis B antibody,” Chang said. But, “I do not actually have active Hepatitis B. I would not say I am someone infected with Hepatitis B right now.”
Chang and Shinagawa agree that there is a stigma associated with Hepatitis B in the APA community.
“Definitely,” said Shinagawa. “Most people don’t want to acknowledge that they have Hepatitis B. There is a stigma that they come from poor or unsanitary backgrounds, or that they had unclean sex.”
Chang expressed similar statements.
“I think that stigma happens with any disease in the APA community or any other social identity community,”
she said. “For instance, depression and suicide are two major illnesses that plague Asian American communities. The ramifications of these types of consequences comes into play around how Asian communities deal or address conflict and hold interpersonal relationships with other communities.”
Akshita Mehta, junior cell biology major, disagreed that there is a stigma attached specifically to Hepatitis B, but noted that she associates
certain diseases with “underprivileged countries that can’t get vaccines or the right nutrition for their populations.”
Fortunately, Shinagawa, Chang, and Mehta have all had Hepatitis B vaccines.
“I got it because I went overseas,” said Shinagawa. “I have been tested and luckily I don’t have it, but it doesn’t mean that the rest of my family doesn’t have it.”
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hinagawa said his mother, who grew up in developing Japan, “certainly had Hepatitis.”
Mehta appeared to have a similar reason for being vaccinated.
