New Report: Increasing Hepatitis B Awareness and Prevention in the Nail Salon Workforce

North American Occupational Health and Safety Week (May 5-11) is a time to raise awareness about the importance of injury and illness prevention in the workplace! This week, we’re focusing on health and safety within the nail salon industry, specifically the risk for hepatitis B transmission and opportunities to increase awareness and education about hepatitis B among nail salon workers.

In the U.S., the nail salon workforce is comprised mostly of Vietnamese Americans, with many being immigrants. Refugee and immigrant communities are often susceptible to worker exploitation (including labor trafficking) and encounter cultural and linguistic barriers that may leave them vulnerable to occupational health and safety risks, including hepatitis B transmission.

During routine work, nail technicians may be exposed to a client’s blood or other bodily fluids. It is important for nail salon workers to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and their clients to prevent the potential spread of the hepatitis B virus. More importantly, the nail salon industry (including salon owners and state health departments or boards that regulate nail salons) should implement policies that support greater education, awareness, and prevention of hepatitis B transmission among its workforce.

In October of 2011, the American College of Gastroenterology urged the need for increased surveillance and information on disinfection and infectious disease prevention, particularly for hepatitis B and C in nail salons. Since then, no major research or analysis has been conducted to better understand hepatitis B transmission or the policies that protect nail salon workers. In a new report released by the Hepatitis B Foundation, “The Impact of Nail Salon Industry Policies and Regulations on Hepatitis B Awareness and Prevention,” we seek to further understand the nail salon industry landscape through analyzing state policies that govern nail salons and identify strategies to support increased hepatitis B education, awareness, and prevention.

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New Webinar Series: Local Approaches to Preventing and Eliminating Hepatitis B

Hep B United and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) are excited to present a 3-part webinar series on local strategies to eliminate hepatitis B. Join us for updates on the current state of hepatitis B (HBV) in the U.S. and to discuss local health department efforts and model programs to increase hepatitis B testing, vaccination, and linkage to care.

Recent data indicate that there has been an increase in the rate of new hepatitis B infections in the U.S., which many largely attribute to increasing injection drug use. To address this, Hep B United and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) are excited to present a three-part webinar series on local strategies to eliminate hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.

HBV is a significant and common health burden that chronically infects up to 2.2 million people in the U.S. and approximately 257 million people globally. Up to 25% of chronically infected individuals go on to develop serious conditions such as liver damage, cirrhosis, or liver cancer, and many die as a result of complications from liver disease. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine and treatments, barriers in HBV prevention persist. Join us to discuss the current state of HBV in the U.S. and learn about local health department efforts and model programs to increase HBV testing, vaccination, and linkage to care.

Register now for Part 3!

Webinar: Hepatitis B – Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions

Join Hep B United on February 21st, 2019 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST for a webinar on dispelling common myths about hepatitis B!

How is hepatitis B spread?

If I am infected, can I safely breastfeed my baby?

What is the hepatitis B vaccine schedule?

We will tackle some of these questions, myths about hepatitis B transmission, and how to address common misconceptions. Join a conversation with our panelists and share your own questions about hepatitis B transmission and prevention.

Register here.

Panelists:
Maureen Kamischke, Social Media and Outreach Manager, Hepatitis B Foundation

Ponni Perumalswami, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Hepatologist, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Amy Shen Tang, MD, Hepatitis B Program Director and Primary Care Internist, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center

We Will Be Invisible No Longer

The Hepatitis B Foundation and the Hep B United coalition are excited to partner with the All of Us Research Program, a program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance precision medicine – health care that is tailored to each person. All of Us will enroll and engage 1 million or more people across the country, from all walks of life, to contribute to research that could improve health for generations to come.

We are partnering with All of Us to increase representation of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in biomedical research. Diversity and inclusion in health research is critical to understanding how certain diseases or treatments affect individuals differently and helping transform health care to be more customized and effective for each person.

In the U.S., over half of the 2.2 million people living with chronic hepatitis B are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Join All of Us to help researchers better understand the causes and risk factors for chronic conditions like hepatitis B and make health equity a reality.

Visit JoinAllofUs.org to learn more about the All of Us Research Program.

Additional resources:
Fact Sheet: All of Us Research Program
Infographic: All of Us Research Program
Flyer: “How do I sign up for the All of Us Research Program?”

Webinar: Epidemiological Tools and Analytics to Support the Global Elimination of Hepatitis B

Please join Hep B United on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 3:00 pm EST for a webinar to learn about tools and resources to support the global elimination of hepatitis B. Globally, an estimated 292 million are living with chronic hepatitis B infection, yet only 10% are diagnosed. Additionally, out of the estimated 94 million eligible for treatment, of these, only 4.8 million or 5% were treated. Join us for this interactive session to learn about novel initiatives to expand epidemiological data through the Polaris Observatory and resources to increase access to hepatitis screening and treatment.

Register here.

Webinar: Hepatitis Delta – Current and Future Treatments

Join us for a Webinar: Hepatitis Delta: Current and Future Treatments
Tuesday, January 8th 2019
7:00 AM PT / 10:00 AM ET

While scientific advancements in the last 20 years have brought highly effective treatment options for hepatitis B patients; treatments for hepatitis B and delta coinfected patients have lagged behind. Interferon therapy remains the only somewhat effective treatment option for 15-20 million patients who are anxiously awaiting new drugs to control their coinfection. With 7 new drugs in clinical trials, there is hope.

Join professor Cihan Yurdaydin, MD, secretary general for the World Gastroenterology Organization and Educational Councilor of EASL, for an in-depth perspective on current treatment regimens for hepatitis delta and a look at new drugs in the pipeline that show promise for more effective future treatments.

Register here – even if you cannot attend live, please register and we will email you the webinar recording!

Hep B United Applauds Bipartisan Legislation to Combat the Opioid Crisis and Opioid Related Infectious Diseases

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 24, 2018) – Hep B United today released the following statement, commending Congress for working together to pass the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. The legislation was signed into law by the president, following overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support. The legislation supports a range of services, programs, and funding, across multiple federal agencies, to help combat the nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic and related infectious diseases, including hepatitis B.

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act brings together several pieces of legislation focused on different aspects of the opioid epidemic, from promoting evidence-based prevention strategies, to researching new, non-addictive pain management drugs, and expanding access to substance use disorder treatment.

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Webinar: Community-Based Services to Improve Hepatitis B Testing and Linkage to Care Among Hard-to-Reach Populations

Please join Hep B United on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 EDT for a webinar on Community-Based Services to Improve Hepatitis B Testing and Linkage to Care Among Hard-to-Reach Populations.

In the U.S., up to 2 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B infection, only 25 percent are aware of their infection, and less than 10 percent of infected individuals are able to access care and receive treatment. Among those chronically infected with hepatitis B, an estimated 70 percent are non-U.S. born and face unique barriers in accessing health care services.

Join this session to learn about three hepatitis B testing and linkage to care programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2014 to 2017. Panelists from Chicago, Livingston, New Jersey/New York City, and Sacramento will share innovative strategies and partnerships to improve testing and linkage to care among high-risk populations, including patient navigation programs, using electronic medical records, and educating health care providers.

Register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7419649993381033985 

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Hep B United Endorses the Liver Illness Visibility, Education, and Research (LIVER) Act of 2018

WASHINGTON, DC (October 18, 2018) Hep B United strongly endorses the introduction of the Liver Illness Visibility, Education and Research (LIVER) Act of 2018. Introduced by Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), the bill takes bold steps to increase investments in research, prevention, and awareness activities to address hepatitis B, which kills up to 1 million people a year, and liver cancer, which continues to grow in incidence and is the 2nd deadliest cancer worldwide. As hepatitis B is the major cause of liver cancer, research efforts to cure these two diseases are linked.

The LIVER Act will authorize $100 million a year for five years for prevention and awareness grants at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and authorize $45 million a year for five years for hepatitis B and liver cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The bill includes significant provisions that will support and accelerate liver cancer and hepatitis B research, and will:

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