Status of Hepatitis B Vaccination among Health Care Workers & Professionals in BVH and Civil Hospital, Pakistan

Abstract

Healthcare Workers have a high risk of occupational exposure to many blood-borne diseases including HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C viral infections of these Hepatitis B is not only the most transmissible infection, but also the only one that is preventable by vaccination. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) employed at the Bhawal Victoria hospital and Civil hospital. This cross sectional study was done at Bahawal Victoria hospital and Civil hospital. It has a total of 400 health care workers. All health care workers were interviewed using a pre-structured questionnaire to find out the vaccination status of these health care workers and the reasons for not getting vaccinated. A total of 400 health care workers were approached to participate in the study. Out of 400 (sample size) 65.8% were vaccinated while 34.2% were not vaccinated against Hepatitis B. Amongst this group 8.5% received one dose, 22.0% received two doses,  53.2% received three doses and 16.3% were not sure about the number of doses they received. Reasons of not vaccination were no one informed them (18.1%)  , 17.4%  said that they were not-vaccinated due to non-availability of vaccination, 1.4% due to high cost, 1.4% due to religious beliefs,  7% due to side effects, 42.8% were forgotten and 18.1% said that they have some other reasons for non-vaccination. Due to low and delayed HBV vaccine-compliance, HCW continue to be at the risk of occupational HBV. Health education highlighting occupational risk of HBV, accessibility of vaccine and mandatory vaccination of HCW is recommended to increase HBV vaccine compliance among health care workers.