Mo Mao L&S Social Sciences
Biosociality and Hepatitis B among Asian communities in the Bay Area
Hepatitis B (Hep B) is a high risk infection that is disproportionately affecting Asian Americans up to date, though testing and vaccinations are available free to low-cost across multiple sites in San Francisco and the surrounding Area. Many studies have tried various community based methods to increase screening rate and number of diagnosed patients willing to accept treatment, yet they failed to address the reasons and solutions for the lack of initiatives of Asian Americans towards Hepatitis B. Therefore, this project aims to address the historical, political, and structural conditions that sustain the high mortality and morbidity rates of Hepatitis B infection among Asian Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area through ethnographic work at Hep B advocacy and education sites hosted by Hep B Free. Combining qualitative data with theoretical frameworks such as Biosociality by Paul Rainbow and Biopower by Michel Foucault, I wish to shed light on the intricacies of how Asian American community interacts with the infection, and to provide insights into ways to reduce the burden of Hep B in Asian Americans.
Message To Sponsor
I would like to thank my donors to make my research project possible! Being able to ponder about theories and thoughts on how they relate and apply to our current world is meaningful both personally and professionally to me. I would also like to express my gratitude to SURF program, Professor Andrew (Wooyoung) Kim, the UCB anthropology department, and Hep B Free for their support making this project possible.