(1 of 7)
May 21, 2003
IAC'S HEPATITIS PREVENTION PROGRAMS WEBSITE ADDS FIVE NEW PROGRAMS AND A SUPPORT GROUP SECTION

The Hepatitis Prevention Programs website of the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has added five programs, bringing the total to 84! Another five programs have substantially updated their information, and a new section has been added to the site: "Support Groups for Persons Living with Viral Hepatitis."

The website, http://www.hepprograms.org, features programs successfully preventing hepatitis A, B, and/or C in adults and adolescents at risk for infection. The five new programs are

Denver Health/Denver Public Schools Adolescent Immunization Program
http://www.hepprograms.org/school/school7.asp

Hepatitis B Initiative (Boston and Washington, D.C.)
http://www.hepprograms.org/apia/apia8.asp

Houston Middle School Study
http://www.hepprograms.org/school/school8.asp

Lifeguard Harm Reduction Services (Central Illinois)
http://www.hepprograms.org/drug/drug11.asp

Nevada State Health Division and Nevada Department of Corrections HCV and HBV Seroprevalence Study
http://www.hepprograms.org/adult/adult10.asp

The five updated programs are

Bronx Lesbian & Gay Health Resource Consortium
http://www.hepprograms.org/msm/msm2.asp

Florida Department of Health, Hepatitis and Liver Failure Prevention and Control Program
http://www.hepprograms.org/drug/drug4.asp

Illinois Health Education Consortium
http://www.hepprograms.org/apia/apia1.asp

New York State Health Department
http://www.hepprograms.org/std/std1.asp

Texas Department of Health Hepatitis A Vaccine Initiative
http://www.hepprograms.org/other/other3.asp

The new support group section features national organizations that provide online forums and links to local support groups. Another page lists support groups by state. The support group section can be accessed at:
http://www.hepprograms.org/support/index.asp

Please encourage your clients infected with hepatitis B or C virus to use this resource to find an online or local source of information and support.

We are always looking for new programs, support groups, and provider and patient resources to add to the site! If you have program information you would like to share with your colleagues, go to the "Tell us about your program" page at http://www.hepprograms.org/tellus.htm You can also email us with other information at admin@hepprograms.org
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(2 of 6)
May 21, 2003
HHS EXPANDS ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION FOR ASIAN AMERICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

In recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced the launch of two new online health resources of special interest to Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.

The department's consumer oriented "healthfinder" website now includes a new section devoted to Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders, which includes information on many health topics, including hepatitis B. Selected materials are available in Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Thai, Tongan, and Vietnamese. To access this website, go to http://www.healthfinder.gov/justforyou and click on the "Asian Americans,  Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders" link.

Complementing this website is a companion website, "Asian American Health," launched by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Library of Medicine. The site features census data on major Asian American populations, background on cultural traditions and heritage, links to health policy offices, online medical databases, publications, and other organizations. Visit "Asian American Health" at http://asianamericanhealth.nlm.nih.gov
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(3 of 7)
May 21, 2003
CMS RELEASES NEW MEDICARE PAYMENT RATES FOR ADMINISTERING INFLUENZA, PNEUMOCOCCAL, AND HEPATITIS B VACCINES

[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 5/12/03.]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the "2003 Administration Rate Allowances" for influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccines. The rates went into effect March 1.

This year's administration rates average 94 percent higher than last year's. The average rate in 2002 was $3.98; the average rate for 2003 is $7.72. This rate reflects the cost of vaccine administration, not reimbursement for the cost of the vaccine. The payment rate for influenza vaccine has not yet been determined and will probably not be available until early fall.

To access a camera-ready (PDF) copy of the rate allowances from the website of the Immunization Action Coalition, go to: http://www.immunize.org/influenza/allowances.pdf

For more information, go to the CMS website at http://cms.hhs.gov/preventiveservices/2.asp
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(4 of 7)
May 21, 2003
ATTENTION ADULT MEDICINE SPECIALISTS: SPRING 2003 ISSUE OF "VACCINATE ADULTS!" IS AVAILABLE ONLINE

The Spring 2003 issue of the Immunization Action Coalition's "VACCINATE ADULTS!" is now available online. Tailored to the practical needs of health professionals who routinely vaccinate adults, the new issue has a Q&A feature--"Ask the Experts"--that answers complex and timely immunization questions. "Vaccine Highlights" and "Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, United States, 2002-2003" will keep health professionals current about recommendations, schedules, and more. With the exception of editorials, each article and education piece in this 12-page issue has been reviewed for accuracy by immunization specialists at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To view the table of contents with links to individual articles, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/va

Please note: The PDF file of the entire spring 2003 issue, linked below, is large at 325,678 bytes. Some printers cannot print such a large file. For tips on downloading and printing PDF files, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/tips.htm

To download the entire PDF version of the spring 2003 issue, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/va/va10.pdf
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(5 of 7)
May 21, 2003
THREE STUDIES ON PERINATAL HEPATITIS B PREVENTION PRACTICES INDICATE CONTINUING PROBLEMS

Three new studies provide evidence that compliance with perinatal hepatitis B screening and vaccination recommendations continues to be less than ideal.

"Vaccination and Perinatal Infection Prevention Practices Among Obstetricians-Gynecologists" reports on a survey of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist Fellows. Although the majority of respondents identified themselves as primary care providers, and 89% screened prenatal patients for hepatitis B surface antigen, fewer than 60% routinely obtained patients' vaccination or infection histories. The authors conclude, "The high proportion of obstetrician-gynecologists who do not offer vaccines or screen for vaccine and infection histories suggests missed opportunities for prevention of maternal and neonatal infections."

"Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Prevalence Among Pregnant Women in Urban Areas: Implications for Testing, Reporting, and Preventing Perinatal Transmission" reports on a retrospective chart review of 10,523 women who gave birth during 1990-1993 in four urban areas. HBsAg testing rates were 56.6% in 1990 and 78.2% in 1993. Factors most associated with not being tested were having no or private prenatal care and being black. The abstract concludes, "Needed steps to increase maternal HBsAg testing rates include ensuring that more pregnant women receive prenatal care, promoting testing by private providers, educating providers about testing in all racial and ethnic groups, and reminding providers to test at delivery those women not tested prenatally."

"Impact of Four Urban Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Programs on Screening and Vaccination of Infants and Household Members" studied compliance with perinatal hepatitis B prevention recommendations, including vaccination of household contacts, at four metropolitan sites during 1992-2000. Findings indicate that "many perinatal programs could achieve higher overall rates of infant and contact identification; pre- and postvaccination serological testing in contacts and infants, respectively; and contact hepatitis B vaccination."

Citations and links to abstracts follow:

"Vaccination and Perinatal Infection Prevention Practices Among Obstetricians-Gynecologists"
Authors: Schrag SJ, Fiore AE, Gonik B, et al
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology, April 2003, Vol. 101(4):704-710
Click here to view the abstract.

"Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Prevalence Among Pregnant Women in
Urban Areas: Implications for Testing, Reporting, and Preventing
Perinatal Transmission"
Authors: Euler GL, Wooten KG, Baughman AL, et al
Source: Pediatrics, May 2003, Vol. 111(5):1192-1197
Click here to view the abstract.

"Impact of Four Urban Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Programs
on Screening and Vaccination of Infants and Household Members"
Authors: Euler GL, Copeland J, Williams WW
Source: Am J Epidemiol, April 15, 2003, Vol. 157(8):747-753
Click here to view the abstract.

For more articles and resources about hepatitis B, go to
http://www.immunize.org/hepb
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(6 of 7)
May 21, 2003
HEPATITIS B FOUNDATION RE-LAUNCHES WEBSITE

[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 5/12/03.]

In mid-April, the Hepatitis B Foundation re-launched its website with a new user-friendly design and more information than before. The upgrade is intended to help the foundation deliver the most current news about prevention, management, and treatment of hepatitis B to its audience of patients, families, health care professionals, and researchers in 56 countries worldwide.

Because hepatitis B is particularly prevalent in Asia and in Asian communities outside of Asia, the foundation made sure the updated site offers information in Asian languages. Sub-sites in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese are currently available. The foundation plans to add materials in additional languages in the future.

Other highlights of the website include a Drug Watch of approved compounds and those in development, information on clinical trials for hepatitis B, a bookstore, links to the foundation's free printable literature and newsletter, and links to other valuable hepatitis resources.

To access the website, go to: http://www.hepb.org
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(7 of 7)
May 21, 2003
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GOES TO THE MOVIES!

The California Distance Learning Health Network, in partnership with the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch and local immunization coalitions in the state, has launched a six-week, 13-county movie theater advertising campaign to encourage older adolescents and young adults to get immunized against hepatitis B virus infection. The campaign targets young Californians, ages 15 to 24, the age group that missed the seventh grade hepatitis B immunization entry requirement. The nearly $200,000 campaign kicked off in mid-April and will run through the beginning of June, which is National Hepatitis Awareness Month.

Movie theater ads are slides projected on-screen while movie goers are seated and waiting for the movie to begin. The audience generally views the slide three times before the feature begins. This type of advertising was chosen because teenagers and young adults attend movies frequently and because movie ads have proven to be memorable.

To view one of the movie slides used in this campaign, click here:
http://www.hepprograms.org/images/hepb.jpg

To view the website to which moviegoers are directed, go to:
http://www.hepbfacts.org/flash.html