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An estimated 220,000 people in Australia are living with chronic hepatitis B, yet around a third remain undiagnosed, and more than three quarters are not engaged in regular care.
Many people with hepatitis B don’t feel unwell, yet without diagnosis and ongoing treatment, the virus can lead to serious liver disease, or even liver cancer.
The pathway to staying healthy is straightforward – a simple blood test can check for hepatitis B, and effective care and treatment are available.
Healthcare providers play an important role in:
- encouraging testing
- supporting culturally appropriate care
- linking patients to treatment and follow-up services.
We have supported Hepatitis Australia to develop new resources for healthcare providers to encourage testing and connection to care, focussed on communities at higher risk of hepatitis B.
These new resources are tailored for priority communities, including Chinese and Filipino communities, to support culturally appropriate care and improve access to testing and treatment.
View the GP information pack and community resources in Chinese and Tagalog.
If you or someone you know may have hepatitis B, speak with your doctor about getting tested.
HepLink is a free national service providing confidential hepatitis information and support for both healthcare providers and patients. Call 1800 437 222 or visit heplink.au.