Approximately 239,000 Australians are living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and it is estimated that 38% of people with this chronic condition remain undiagnosed. Of people who have been diagnosed in Australia, at least 84% are not receiving adequate care. Without access to care and regular monitoring, approximately 15% to 25% of people living with CHB will die from complications attributed to the disease, such as liver cirrhosis and hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC).
Our region
Annual notifications of hepatitis B are more than double the Victorian average in Melbourne, Maribyrnong, Brimbank and Wyndham. The North Western Melbourne PHN has the highest prevalence of CHB and the highest hepatitis B notification rate of the Victorian PHN areas, representing a large proportion of the approximately 63,000 Victorians living with CHB.
Liver cancer has the fastest growing incidence of all cancers in Australia and is the fastest increasing cause of cancer death in Australia. Early detection, follow up and treatment of CHB can slow the progression of the disease towards liver failure, and reduce the chance of a person living with CHB developing liver cirrhosis and HCC.
Our work
Victorian HIV and Hepatitis Integrated Training and Learning (VHITTAL)
Free hepatitis B introductory courses, S100 prescriber course, and hepatitis B professional development (e.g. case studies), and courses covering other blood borne viruses. VHHITAL courses and training events are listed on the NWMPHN events page.
HealthPathways Melbourne
HealthPathways Melbourne’s Chronic Hepatitis B webpage provides relevant evidence-based information on how to test patients at risk, monitor their hepatitis B and referral advice. To access this resource please email info@healthpathwaysmelbourne.org.au.
Free hepatitis B in-service training
Learn more about hepatitis B, and how you can help your clients monitor and manage hepatitis B at a time that suits you and your staff.
The hepatitis B story
The hepatitis B story is an educational tool designed to support health workers in a discussion about chronic hepatitis B with patients who have low health literacy levels.
The clinician’s guide, an A4 teaching tool for healthworkers and patient brochures in 8 languages, is available here.
We may have hard copies of these booklets available. Please contact us if you are interested in receiving some.
Videos
The ‘hepatitis B story’ (narration in languages), ‘Teach-Back’ and ‘Hepatitis B video – a communication tool for practitioners’ are available to watch here.
