NEW YORK, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) has issued a call to action for a reinvigorated fight against liver disease at their annual meeting in San Francisco this week. The results of a mass screening were revealed at the gathering, showing an alarmingly high rate of hepatitis B in the Asian American population. Also discussed were new survey results, that revealed a general lack of knowledge in the United States about liver diseases.
Results of a mass screening in New York City found 21% of the Asian American population tested positive for Hepatitis B infection, a rate 50 times higher than the general public. Hepatitis is one of over 100 liver diseases, and 30 million Americans suffer from some form of liver disease. Liver disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the US and the leading cause of death for those who are HIV-positive.
The liver disease awareness study found that 4 in 5 US adults (80%) believe that alcohol abuse is the leading cause of liver disease, a common myth. The truth is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the US -- and a growing cause of liver cancer -- is viral hepatitis. In addition, more than half of American adults (54%) do not know that unsafe sex can transmit hepatitis B. Only 20% of people with hepatitis B know they are infected and only 3% receive the treatment they need. This lack of awareness can lead to complications and death for the 1.25 million people with chronic hepatitis B in the United States.
Hepatitis B can infect anyone, but it is preventable and treatable with new effective approaches to treatment.
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NEWS: LEADING DOCTORS CALL ON ALL AMERICANS TO GET SCREENED FOR LIVER DISEASE
FORMAT: B-roll
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Video, contact information and more available at http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/23118/consumer.shtml
SOUNDBITES: -- Dr. Adrian Di Bisceglie, Chair of the Public Policy Committee for the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases -- Dr. Teresa Wright, President, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases -- Fred Thompson, President and CEO, American Liver Foundation -- Dr. Anna Lok, Co-chair, THINK B program
B-ROLL INCLUDES: **Press Conference Footage**Demonstration of a Hepatitis B Screening**
VIDEO PROVIDED BY: American Association for the Study of Liver Disease
Video: Hard copy requests, downloadable MPEG2, contact information andmore available at http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/23118/press.shtmlAmerican Association for the Study of Liver Disease
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