ASSESSMENT OF HEPATITIS B VACCINATION STATUS IN DOCTORS OF SERVICES HOSPITAL, LAHORE

Authors

  • Rabia Arshed Usmani
  • Maaz Suhail Rana
  • Muhammad Saleem Wazir
  • Huda Sarwer
  • Huda Fazli
  • Muhammad Ali Pervaiz
  • Irum Tahir
  • Rabbiya Sajjad

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B is the most common serious infection of the liver and can lead to prematuredeath from liver cancer or liver failure. Of the two billion people who have been infected with HepatitisB virus, more than 350 million have chronic infection. The objectives of this study were to assess theHepatitis B vaccination status, reasons for non-compliance and the risk of exposure to doctors at atertiary care hospital. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-two doctors were selected from the variousdepartments of the hospital by simple random sampling. They were given a self-administeredquestionnaire after taking verbal consent. Some doctors refused to fill-in the questionnaire while someothers were on leave during the time of study and the remaining 215 doctors responded to thequestionnaire. Results: A total of 215 doctors, (age range 22–59 years) responded to the questionnaire.Amongst them 11.6% had not received even a single dose of Hepatitis B vaccine while 14.4% had notcompleted the required course of vaccination. Most common reason cited by doctors for nonimmunisation was that they had not thought about it. Consultants were more likely of the other doctorsto have received completed vaccination (83.9% versus 69.9%) (p<0.05). They were also significantlymore likely to know their antibody titre after completing vaccination. Needle stick injuries werecommon. One hundred and forty-five doctors in the study admitted having received at least one needleprick/sharp injury. Of them, 51.6% had received a needle prick/sharp injury more than once.Conclusion: Despite the availability of an effective vaccine in the market doctors continue to remainnon-vaccinated. It is the lack of awareness and carelessness on part of doctors coupled with thenegligence of the risk that has led them being incompletely vaccinated. There is a need to ensure thatevery doctor is completely vaccinated against Hepatitis B before he/she enters professional practice.Keywords: vaccination, Hepatitis B, medical staff, professional hazard, needle prick injury

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Published

2010-06-01