Heterogeneity of Hepatitis B Infection Among Pregnant Asian American and Pacific Islander Women

Introduction: Perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is a key driver of racial health disparities in liver cancer and mortality in the U.S. This study documents the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women across racial/ethnic groups and among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to assess the need for intervention, and then identifies the individual correlates of hepatitis B virus infection among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women. Methods: Using the 2014–2015U.S. birth rate population data, this study estimates a series of logistic regression models to examine the associations between individual-level correlates and hepatitis B virus infection among Asian American and Pacific Islanders pregnant women. Data were analyzed in July 2017. Results: Among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women, Chinese American mothers are ten times more likely to experience hepatitis B virus infection than are Asian Indian and Japanese American mothers. Foreign-born mothers are significantly more likely to experience hepatitis B virus infection during pregnancy than those of their U.S.-born counterparts. Maternal SES characteristics are important correlates of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women. Conclusions: Studies must disaggregate the pan-ethnic Asian American and Pacific Islander category to examine the health and health disparities of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Given the heterogeneity of hepatitis B virus infection prevalence among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women, the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs depends on careful consideration of ethnicity in conjunction with group-specific factors.