Forty-six percent of people aged 40 or older do not know how hepatitis B can be transmitted, while about one-third of hepatitis B carriers do not seek routine testing or follow-ups, the Formosa Cancer Foundation said yesterday on World Hepatitis Day.
At a news conference in Taipei, the foundation announced the results of a survey on hepatitis B awareness and behaviors among people aged 40 or older and released a short promotional film.
More than 300 million people live with hepatitis globally and more than 2 million new cases are diagnosed each year, foundation deputy chief executive director Chang Chia-lun (張家崙) said, citing WHO data.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan began providing universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns in 1986, which significantly reduced the incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in children, he said.
However, among people born before 1986 — now aged 40 years or older — the hepatitis B carrier rate is estimated to be about 10 percent, meaning there might be approximately 1.7 million hepatitis B carriers, and some carriers might not know their condition and have never received treatment, Chang said.
Hepatitis B is a leading cause of liver cancer, accounting for about 70 percent of cases, and some hepatitis B carriers can experience chronic liver inflammation, leading to increased risks of cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer, he said.
A survey commissioned by the foundation found four common misconceptions about hepatitis B among people aged 40 or older, he said.
Forty-six percent are unclear about the transmission routes of hepatitis B, while 40 percent mistakenly believe it can be transmitted by talking with or eating with a carrier, he said.
While 94 percent of respondents knew whether they were a hepatitis B carrier, many were unclear what that means, and of those who are carriers, about one-third said they did not seek follow-ups every year, he said.
About 33 percent of hepatitis B carriers have the misconception that they are healthy as long as they do not develop symptoms, but they should get regular follow-ups or even take drugs to control it, Chang said.
Of those who had taken medication to treat chronic hepatitis, nearly 40 percent said they stopped on their own, he said, adding that they should only stop after consulting with a doctor.
The survey also found that 59 percent of respondents did not know the government offers a free one-time hepatitis B and C screening for adults aged 40 to 79.
Health Promotion Administration Director-General Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍) said that preventing hepatitis B and C and getting proper treatment for the diseases is critical for reducing the risk of liver cancer.
Eligibility of the one-time screening is on Friday to be expanded to include people born in or before 1986, so eligible people should get tested as soon as possible, he said.
World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on July 28 to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and liver cancer. This year’s theme is “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” with the WHO calling for urgent action to dismantle barriers standing in the way of hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention.
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