Factors influencing acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination by hospital personnel in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B

• Published in: The American journal of gastroenterology Vol. 87; no. 12; p. 1807
• Main Authors: Israsena, S, Kamolratanakul, P, Sakulramrung, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.1992
• Subjects: Adult; Hepatitis B - prevention & control; Hepatitis B Vaccines - administration & dosage; Humans; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Personnel, Hospital; Surveys and Questionnaires; Thailand; Treatment Refusal; Vaccines, Synthetic - administration & dosage; Thailand
• ISSN: 0002-9270
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.1992.tb07312.x

A free-of-charge vaccination program against hepatitis B, in which plasma-derived vaccine was used, was offered to 1,299 hospital personnel of Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Bangkok. The initial acceptance rate for vaccination was 65.7%, with 10.0% nonacceptance and 24.3% undecided. The highest rates of acceptance were among medical students (75.5%), student nurses (68.8%), and newly graduated nurses (63.6%). The lowest rate of acceptance was among physicians (48.2%). Factors strongly associated with the acceptance of vaccination were nature of work, age of personnel (< or = 40 yr), number of years spent in profession (< or = 15 yr), knowledge of hepatitis B, confidence in vaccine efficacy and safety, no history of hepatitis B infection, and contact with blood or blood product. Different types of fear, as well as lack of knowledge, were the main reasons responsible for 46.2% of all refusals. More specific educational efforts about vaccine safety and efficacy may positively influence the acceptance of hepatitis vaccination program among health care personnel.