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September 14, Health Awareness Campaigns. Authored by. GW Cancer Center. About Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Awareness Month Hepatitis Awareness Month in May is an annual observance that provides a specific opportunity to promote awareness of hepatitis and also the link between hepatitis B, hepatitis C and liver cancer.

Data and Statistics In , the latest year for which incidence data is available, in the United States, 35, new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer were reported, and 27, people died of this cancer [3].

Basic Facts About Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Despite the strong link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer, many individuals may not know about hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus infections as major risk factors. Liver cancer is the fastest-growing cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Other causes of liver cancer include excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, rare metabolic disorders, and type II diabetes [4]. Liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis B can be prevented through hepatitis B vaccination, or early detection and treatment of hepatitis B infections [4].

Chronic hepatitis C can be cured with effective treatment, reducing the risk of liver cancer [4]. Best Practices for Communicating About Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Highlight the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer, and increase knowledge about how viral hepatitis is transmitted, prevented, and treated Encourage health care providers to learn about who is at risk of viral hepatitis and promote testing for chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections.

Examples of individuals at high risk of hepatitis B include men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, people with HIV, and pregnant women [6]. Additionally, all adults aged 18 years and older should be tested for hepatitis C, including pregnant individuals and people who have ever injected drugs or shared needles [6].

Missed opportunities for prevention through vaccination and lack of awareness of infection are some of the challenges to eliminating viral hepatitis [7]. Health care providers can provide recommendations on vaccination, screening, prevention counseling, and referrals for additional health care services [7].

Encourage health care providers to promote hepatitis B vaccination as cancer prevention. Lack of perceived patient risk was also cited as a barrier to compliance [8]. Carry out simple on-site education interventions to improve knowledge and acceptability of viral hepatitis testing and build critical partnerships to reach communities disproportionately affected [9].

Baseline knowledge about hepatitis C is poor among high-risk populations like injection drug users [9]. Educate communities and health care providers about populations likely to be affected Educate communities that viral hepatitis and liver cancer starts with prevention.

Vaccination efforts should focus on populations at increased risk [4]. Reduce transmission of existing infections to prevent viral hepatitis and liver cancer.

A simple blood test can screen for infection, and both hepatitis B and C are treatable. Harm reduction strategies may help reduce transmission among people who inject drugs and those who are incarcerated [4].

Encourage providers to increase collection of data on risk factors for chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. Data can help us understand the burden of viral hepatitis, identify trends in patient characteristics, risk factors, and geographic areas, which in turn helps focus resources in communities and settings where they can be most impactful [7].

Decrease stigma around hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections Recognize that individuals affected by viral hepatitis infections may feel stigmatized. Perceived stigma associated with hepatitis C infections can lead to anxiety and excessive fear of transmission, often resulting in social isolation and reduced intimacy in relationships [].

Encourage providers to recognize their own bias regarding those infected with hepatitis C virus [10]. Raise awareness about viral hepatitis infections and normalize screening for recommended groups.

Debunk commonly held misconceptions and myths Address misbeliefs regarding hepatitis B infection , such as the belief that hepatitis B could be spread through sharing food or utensils or through the air [12]. Some individuals may not realize that chronic hepatitis B infection may be a result of perinatal transmission, which occurs when a parent infected with hepatitis B passes the infection to their infant during pregnancy [13].

Educate communities that hepatitis C infection can be cured. In a survey of a high-risk urban population, most respondents were not sure or did not think that hepatitis C could be cured, and over half expressed misunderstandings regarding treatment side effects [9].

Affirm that individuals should not understate their risk of chronic hepatitis. Individuals should not assume that health care providers will tell them they need to be tested. Healthcare providers should not assume that patients will display obvious symptoms such as yellow eyes [12].

Communicating with Diverse Audiences Certain groups experience disparities in viral hepatitis screening, incidence, mortality, and survival [14]. Black community members often do not know they are infected due to limited disease awareness and health care access [18]. Messaging for this group may focus on improving awareness and access to hepatitis B information, including resources on screening, vaccination and follow-up care.

It is important to highlight that the hepatitis B vaccine can help lower liver cancer risk for the greater community. Messaging can also encourage public health and community providers to work together to support culturally-appropriate liver cancer risk reduction and control efforts, including improving access to viral hepatitis screening, vaccine access, and education on reducing risk factors for liver cancer [19].

They also tend to be diagnosed with liver cancer at later stages and with more advanced disease due to lower screening rates for liver cancer via blood or imaging tests and reduced access to health care [20, 21]. Messaging focused on testing for viral hepatitis and vaccination are keys to risk reduction in this community [22].

For example, messages can encourage individuals to talk to their provider about the hepatitis B vaccine, getting tested for hepatitis C, and monitoring alcohol intake. In addition to these points, messaging for providers may encourage culturally-appropriate conversations with patients to manage co-existing conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure, which may help reduce the incidence of liver cancer [20].

with hepatitis B [23]. CDC also found that among AANHPI persons, knowledge levels about hepatitis B were low and individuals were confused about how the virus was transmitted [12]. Two out of three AANHPI persons with hepatitis B do not know they are infected [23].

A communication campaign designed for these communities found that that stigma towards those affected by hepatitis B was commonly reported [12]. Messaging for this priority population may focus on encouraging AANHPI individuals at risk to talk to their providers about getting tested for hepatitis B and receiving vaccination, if needed.

Messaging tailored towards health care providers may focus on reducing stigma and encouraging culturally appropriate education on viral hepatitis transmission, treatment, and prevention for patients in this community. We aim to empower stakeholders to use their rare voice to have meaningful conversations about their care surrounding transitions from pediatric care to adulthood, outpatient care transitions, and post-transplantation care.

Currently 2, children under the age of 18 are awaiting a liver transplant in the United States. gov, For more information, please contact the GLI Pediatric and Rare Liver Diseases Team at pedsrare globalliver.

Global Liver Institute. Rare Liver Diseases Month. Rare Liver Diseases Month Overview. Liver Health is Public Health Overview. Hosted 3 Liver Cancer Lessons episodes , which showcased various experts of leading institutions who discussed a range of topics related to liver health Collaborated with 5 medical sites in Cameroon, Egypt, India, Spain, and USA, to host Global Open Houses that aimed to increase liver health and liver cancer awareness and decrease stigma of liver diseases by inviting local residents to health facilities for an educational experience and interactive experience Showcased 4 episodes of GLI LIVE , featuring experts in the field.

Translated Liver Cancer patient education material for at-risk communities into Somali and Arabic. Press Release. Social Media Analytics. Impressions: , Reach: , Liver Cancer Lessons.

Global Open Houses.