Frequency of Hepatitis-B Vaccination in Health Care Workers and the Reasons for Being Unvaccinated - Abstract
Worldwide, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most common among those hepatitis viruses that cause acute and chronic infections of the liver in humans, and it
represents a global public health problem.
Study design: Cross Sectional Study.
Place and duration of study: Lahore General Hospital. 2 months.
Objective: Our aim was to find out the frequency of individuals vaccinated against Hepatitis B among healthcare workers, and to determine the causes
of lack of immunization.
Methods: A structured questionnaire was distributed randomly between April 15, 2016 and May 30, 2016 to the HCWs of LGH. These included
Physicians, Surgeons, House Officers, Residents, Nurses and Technicians. The completed questionnaires were analyzed using the software Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (version 10).
Results: The main outcome measure was vaccination status and reasons for non-vaccination. 63% of HCWs were vaccinated against Hepatitis B. The main
reasons for non-vaccination were; the belief amongst participants that they were not at risk (54.7%), and not getting the opportunity (31.8%).
Conclusion: Since a vast majority of participants were unaware that they are at risk of getting infected, efforts should be made to impart appropriate
health education regarding hepatitis B infection and vaccination.