Connecting Chinese Communities with Hepatitis B Education

LiverWELL has had the pleasure of collaborating with the Seniors Happy Life Club and Migrant Resource Centre (Northwest Region) to educate the Chinese community.

On the 3rd of October, LiverWELL was in Burwood East with the Seniors Happy Life Club to talk about hepatitis B to the members of the club. The attendees were able to learn more about hepatitis B testing, vaccination, and supporting the wider community in having meaningful and open conversations about living with hepatitis B. Attendees were able to find out that vaccination can provide long-term immunity, and that hepatitis B is not contagious and not spread through food. Extra care was taken during the session to differentiate between hepatitis A and hepatitis C, as a few attendees were confused about the different health conditions, and were unsure of which they had tested and received vaccination for. Sessions like these enable safe discussions among the participants, and support from LiverWELL to navigate concerns and worries.

Last October 8, LiverWELL was at the St. Albans Community Centre to chat with a Chinese Community group supported by the Migrant Resource Centre (Northwest Region). After a round of doing gentle exercise and Tai Chi, the attendees had the opportunity to sit down and listen to a hepatitis B health seminar. Participants were surprised to hear the relevance of hepatitis B and the Chinese community and wider multicultural community in Australia, and its impact – how hepatitis B can cause liver cancer if left untreated and unmanaged.

Sessions like these enable safe and open discussions among attendees, who at times shared their own thoughts and experiences (and confusion) with the wider group. This helped to normalise the discussion, ease fear, and provide information to attendees to take the next step in taking care of their liver health.