Hepatitis B in Primary Care

Primary care practitioners play a crucial role in ensuring improved health outcomes for people with hepatitis B, through testing, diagnosis, informed clinical management and support of individuals and families. 

In 2024, an estimated 227, 571 people were living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Australia, with 27.9% undiagnosed and 74.5% were not engaged in regular care (Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project: National Report 2024). 

Guideline-based management and treatment of CHB can prevent liver cancer, with CHB being the primary cause of liver cancer worldwide. Primary care practitioners play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of CHB in the community, and in reducing preventable deaths from liver cancer. 

Presented by Dr Lester Mascarenhas, the founder of Utopia Refugee and Asylum Seeker Health, this webinar will provide participants with crucial knowledge and understanding of hepatitis B and the impact of COVID-19 on patients living with hepatitis B. 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course and its components, participants will be able to:

• Identify priority populations for hepatitis B testing in Australia
• Interpret hepatitis B serology results.
• Describe the role of primary care in the testing, diagnosis and management of patients with hepatitis B in the community.