In Northern Australia, as many as one in ten Aboriginal people carry the Hepatitis B (Hep B) virus, and for many the illness can become serious and cause liver failure or liver cancer.
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In a bid to help Indigenous people in remote communities reduce the impact of Hep B and provide adequate information and support, the NT's Menzies School of Health Research has created an interactive app, the Hep B Story.
The app was originally produced in English several years ago, with a variety of Indigenous languages added since so information can be accessed by more Territorians.
Ngukurr-based Meigim Kriol Strongbala has been involved in creating a Kriol version, with the complex task months in the making, before officially being released in March 2023.
The app guides Kriol speakers through various aspects of Hepatitis B - how it is transmitted, how it affects the liver and our health, how to test, treat and manage Hep B, with an additional section for women, providing information on how to manage the illness when pregnant.
Menzies School of Health project manager Paula Binks said chronic Hepatitis B was a global public health issue affecting over 290 million people and if left untreated it could lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
"Overall prevalence of chronic Hepatitis B in the NT is the highest in Australia at 1.84 per cent, and Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory are disproportionately affected with 6 per cent prevalence."
Ms Binks said Hep B was a difficult medical condition to explain, even to someone who spoke English as their first language.
"It is really important people understand what it means when they have chronic Hepatitis B and what they need to do to keep their liver healthy. This is why having health information in a patient's preferred language is essential."
With more than 100 people involved in the project and thousands of kilometres travelled across the Territory, the educational tool was produced for Aboriginal people in their preferred language.
"This project has become one owned by the entire community with those involved feeling the importance of getting the Hep B story out to their people," Ms Binks said.
The app can be downloaded onto any smart device for free and it is also available for free on the Menzies's website.
Health care staff will also be able to use the app to educate their clients in their preferred language.