Design of Hepatitis (A, B, C)

Related Education for the Different Ethnic Groups Residing in Miami Dade County

Source of Funding: Miami-Dade County Health Department

Amount: $40,000.00

Period: January 01 – June 30, 2001

Summary of Findings: We conducted a study of hepatitis for the Miami Dade County Health Department among different ethnic groups residing in Miami-Dade County. Focus groups targeted low-income persons. While each of the groups (African American Women and Men, Homosexual Men, Hispanic Women and Men, Haitian Women and Men) had its own unique beliefs and concerns regarding health related issues, there were many common findings found within the four target populations. It was found that most had no insurance coverage and received their care at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the county hospital for Miami-Dade County. Many expressed their frustrations in obtaining health care and had a mistrust in the system overall. Knowledge regarding hepatitis was seriously inadequate. A few participants in the study were most familiar with Hepatitis A and its transmission in food. These participants were most often aware of the importance of good "hand washing" to prevent person-to-person transmission. The next most common finding regarding knowledge of hepatitis transmission was by unprotected sex or via the sharing of needles. While such replies were the exception, most of the information on hepatitis reflected their existing knowledge on AIDS rather than hepatitis itself.