Overview

The Asian Health Foundation (AHF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Established in 2007, AHF provides quality continuing medical education programs in the arena of viral hepatitis and liver disease for Asian American (AA) physicians and healthcare professionals and materials for patient education. The AHF is composed of more than 50 leading AA physicians in the field of hepatitis B and C, including gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and primary care physicians (PCPs). The overall objectives of the AHF with its hepatitis initiatives include: • Education: AHF programs seek to educate AA front-line health care providers and the AA community at large about the high prevalence of hepatitis and the disproportionately high incidence of cirrhosis and/or liver cancer among AAPIs. • Increased Screening, Treatment and Linkage to Care: AHF programs seek to increase the detection of viral hepatitis among AAPIs so they can receive appropriate care, given the availability of new treatment options. • Multi-center research studies: AHF has completed two multi-center research studies: The “Office-based Screening for Viral Hepatitis in Asian American Communities” study to determine the prevalence of HCV in Asian American ethnic groups. This is a multi-center, observational, cross-sectional study which will provide important new data on HCV infection in Asian Americans, concurrent to HBV screening. The ENUMERATE Study is a multi-center retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of entecavir. • Leadership development and mentorship opportunities for medical students, and physicians who will be future leaders in the fields of viral hepatitis and liver disease. Through these initiatives, the Asian Health Foundation seeks to further its mission of improving the health of Asian American and Pacific Islanders.