PLANNING
NEXT STEPS
Hepatitis B Dialogue Guide
Planning Next Steps
When it comes to hepatitis B screening and vaccination, patients may respond in different ways. Some may need more time to process information. Others may want the vaccine but hesitate about screening. Still others may agree with all recommendations. Use these next-step pathways to honor patient choices while gently reinforcing that every step—from screening to completing the full vaccine series—matters for true protection. Regardless of the patient’s readiness you can always provide take home materials for them to share with their friends and community.
Situation
Patient wants to think more about getting screened or vaccinated
Things to Try:
- Affirm & respect their decision
- Help them articulate their key concerns. For example, “Things I want to discuss with my family are…”
- Schedule a follow-up
- Offer materials in their language from mhi.taskforce.org/HepB
Situation
Patient wants to get vaccinated, but not screened
Things to Try:
- Explain why screening comes first
- To check if the patient is already immune from a past vaccination
- To ensure they don’t already have the virus — if they do, vaccination won’t help, and a treatment plan is needed instead
- Offer materials in their language from mhi.taskforce.org/HepB
Situation
Patient is agreeable to recommendations
Things to Try:
- Walk them through the full process —from screening to vaccination
- Emphasize that protection requires multiple doses, not just one
- Clarify that completing the full vaccine series is the only way to ensure lasting protection
- Check if new questions have come up for them, and offer materials in their language from mhi.taskforce.org/HepB
Situation
Patient needs support planning the two- or three-dose series.
Things to Try:
- Check how long the patient will be part of your care
- Help them schedule the upcoming doses if they will be part of your care
- Show them how/where they can schedule the next doses if they won’t be part of your care
- Put in reminders for your facility to call/text the patient prior to the next dose
Acknowledgement
Deep gratitude to the many RIM community members, community health workers at the Refugee Women’s Network (RWN), interpreters, and providers who shared their lived experiences and practical medical strategies to help make culturally humble, trauma-informed hepatitis B care a reality in everyday practice.
- Motivational Interviewing Framework—Miller, W.R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
- Trauma-Informed Care Principles—SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (2014).
- Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant (RIM) Community Profiles & Cultural Context—Minnesota Department of Health: Refugee and International Health Program – Community Health Profiles.
- Mass Communications Campaign Insights Report—MHI research led by Erin Mann, Syreeta Wilkins and Ridhi Arun.
- Health Communication with Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant Communities—Quadri, N., Wilkins, S., & Mann, E. (2025). In CDC Yellow Book 2026: Health Information for International Travel.
