New York City (NYC) has experienced significant decline in smoking prevalence since its antismoking campaign; however, the rates among NYC’s Asian communities have persisted since 2002. Using combined data from the REACH US Risk Factor Survey (2009-2011), this article examined ethnic- and gender-specific smoking behaviors and the effects of acculturation and location of residence on cigarette smoking behavior among Chinese, Korean, Asian Indians, and other Asian Americans. Results indicated that current smoking prevalence was higher for men than women among all four groups. Korean men and women had the highest current smoking rates whereas Indians had the lowest among the four subgroups. Asian American women reporting speaking only English at home had higher current smoking prevalence, but this was not observed for men. Living in Sunset Park, an emerging Asian ethnic enclave, was associated with higher odds of smoking than living in other locations in NYC. In conclusion, smoking prevalence varied across gender and ethnic subgroups among Asian Americans in NYC. A “one-size-fits-all” type of intervention strategy for “pan-Asians” could not be effective. Community-based culturally appropriate and gender-specific interventions for smoking cessation might be an option for Asian Americans residing in linguistically isolated ethnic enclaves.

Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant public health concern in the US, disproportionately affecting Americans of Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander descent, despite the availability of a simple blood test, approved treatments, and an effective vaccine. Hep B United, a national campaign to support and leverage the success of community-based HBV coalitions, convened a partner summit in 2012 to develop a strategic response to the HHS Action Plan for the Prevention, Care, and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. The resulting community action plan focuses on advancing three areas of the HHS plan: educating providers and communities to reduce health disparities; improving testing and linkage to care to prevent HBV-related liver disease and cancer; and eliminating perinatal HBV transmission.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Each year, approximately twenty-five thousand infants are born to HBV-infected mothers, and one thousand newborns become infected (Barbosa et al., 2014;Ward, 2008). To prevent HBV perinatal transmission and facilitate care management, health centers should utilize a patient-centered medical home model that provides coordinated, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate services. One model is the Hep B Moms Program at

Objective To assess type and adequacy of information provided by transfer forms (TFs) at two units of Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRHC), Colombo.Design Prospective observational study.Setting Wards 8 and 9 of LRHC.Subjects All children transferred from other medical institutions.Method Study was carried out over 3 months from 15 th March, 2002 on all patients transferred to wards 8 and 9 from another hospital. Type of information provided in TFs was assessed and details taken into a pre-tested questionnaire. The information was analysed using Epi Info Version 6.04b.