Black and African Americans
African Americans are more likely to die at early ages from all causes. Health differences are due to economic and social conditions resulting from and perpetuated through systemic racism and inequality. Black and African Americans are affected by chronic viral hepatitis more than other racial groups in the United States.
Hepatitis C
In Oregon, African and Black American persons have the second highest rates of chronic HCV after American Indians and Alaskan Native people, Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. The rate of liver cancer associated with HCV among Black people is 1.6 times higher than the rate of white people in both the U.S. and Oregon.
According to the OHA, between 2016 and 2020, Black individuals had the highest rate of mortality related to HCV, averaging 2.3 times higher than the rate of deaths related to HCV among white people.
Hepatitis B
In Oregon, between 2009–2013, chronic HBV infections were more than twelve times higher among Black and African American persons than among White people, and 78% of cases among Black persons occurred in persons born in Africa. Nationally, people who immigrate from Africa account for approximately 12% of all Americans living with chronic hepatitis B. The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among non-Hispanic Black persons (0.69%) was more than 6 times the prevalence among non-Hispanic white people (0.11%).
From 2009–2013, rates of liver cancer due to HBV were more than seven times higher in Black and African persons than in white people in Oregon. Deaths from HBV in 2010 were three times higher. OHA must partner with community-driven efforts to help increase viral hepatitis-related prevention, testing, diagnosis and care among Black and African American individuals across Oregon.