The Life, Relationships and Hepatitis B Quiz was the highlight of SA’s 2023 World Hepatitis Day campaign. Available online in four languages, the Quiz included a draw for a $500 Visa card. It ran for just over a month from 28 July to 31 August. There were 441 eligible entries, of which 121 were on paper and 320 online.
The Education team ran several sessions in July and August, reaching at least 200 people from diverse communities.
They included the Aboriginal community at Maringga Turtpandi, the staff, women’s group and adult education classes at Community Access and Services SA (CAaSSA), English language students at TAFE Gilles Plains, as well as the Filipino community in the Riverland and in Adelaide with the Filipino Community Association.
Hepatitis SA Educator Shannon Wright said they had highly positive feedback at all events. “One Maringga Turtpandi worker said the session they attended had been the best education session they’ve had,” she recalled.
“Another worker said they used to be so scared of people with those viruses, and it was really good to hear about this to reduce stigma. They also appreciated our positive speaker Kath’s candour and courage in sharing her lived experience story.”
Most participants at the community sessions were able to answer questions about hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and after the sessions many confidently went on to take part in our online quiz. And participants at an English-language class at CAaSSA were pleased to hear that the quiz was available in languages other than English.
In addition, Chen Bin, Viral Hepatitis Nurse from Lyell McEwan Hospital, presented an interactive session with the Chinese community. Hosted by the Chinese Association of South Australia, the session was followed by a lively Q&A. All of the 48 participants said they had learnt new things about hepatitis B and would definitely attend a similar activity in the future.
Volunteers at Hope’s Café at Uniting Communities Norwood collected almost 60 entries, discussing the quiz questions with individual customers, many of whom were from disadvantaged communities.
On World Hepatitis Day itself—28 July—we had an all-day community information stand at the Arndale Shopping Centre, where we tested people for hepatitis C and spoke to others about hepatitis B vaccination, hepatitis C testing and treatment, and encouraged people to participate in the online quiz.
We also received 46 entries for a prison-specific hepatitis C quiz run across four sites including Port Augusta Prison, Mount Gambier Prison, Cadell and Mobilong. Participants called the Hepatitis SA Helpline to give their answers. In addition, there were internal competitions in the Adelaide Women’s Prison and at Port Lincoln Prison. Prizes differed at each site, and included Toblerones, notepads and pens, toiletry packs, Nescafe coffee sachets, beanies and sunglasses.
In 2023, Hepatitis SA had a go at getting public buildings to light up green—chosen as the colour of life, vitality and progress—on World Hepatitis Day. Of the 15 venues contacted, three generously agreed to “glow green” on or close to 28 July. Thank you to Adelaide Oval, Parliament House, and Unley Council. The Unley City Council was especially supportive backing up the green lights with social media messages.
