Background: Although social norms are thought to play an important role in hepatitis B screening behaviors, limited theoretical or empirical guidance exists on how the underlying process works. Using the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), we examined the role played by injunctive norms and interpersonal discussion in the relationship between descriptive norms and hepatitis B screening behavior among Asian Americans.

Methods: Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore metropolitan area (N=877) were recruited from community-based organizations. Self-administered baseline surveys collected information on their demographic, social norms (e.g., descriptive and injunctive norms), interpersonal communication, and HBV screening behavior.

Results: Social norms and family communication emerged as key factors in HBV screening. For Vietnamese Americans, family communication moderated the influence of descriptive norms on behavior. Injunctive norm moderated the influence of descriptive norms on behavior among Korean Americans. However, there was no significant interaction for Chinese Americans.

Discussion: Family communication and social Snorms are integral in enabling Asian Americans to have HBV screening and warrant sensitivity in the design of liver cancer prevention program in this high risk group of Asian Americans.

Citation Format: Hee-Soon Juon, Rajiv Rimal, Sunmin Lee. Social norms, family communication, and hepatitis B screening among Asian Americans. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr C72.

©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.
2017
American Association for Cancer Research.