Mapping the Evidence on Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer in the Hmong Community using a Socioecological Lens: A Scoping Review

This research project is a comprehensive scoping review designed to map and synthesize the current knowledge regarding Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and liver cancer within the Hmong community, an underrepresented Asian Pacific Islander group. While the Hmong population faces significant health disparities, current research remains fragmented and often overlooks the broader structural factors influencing outcomes. By utilizing the Socioecological Model (SEM), this project aims to map the entire cancer care continuum, from prevention and screening to diagnosis and survivorship, to identify critical research gaps and bring coherence to the existing body of literature across the United States and Asia. Adhering to the Arksey and O’Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the study employs a rigorous multilingual search strategy across major global databases like EMBASE and Scopus. The team will synthesize primary and secondary research published since 1980 in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, and Laotian. Through a narrative synthesis of these findings, the project seeks to provide a comprehensive evidence map that informs culturally tailored interventions and addresses the social determinants of health that drive liver cancer disparities in Hmong populations.