title: Hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B markers: cost effectiveness of screening prehospital personnel.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of screening emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedical personnel prior to administering hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B screening and Heptavax vaccine were offered to 259 basic EMTs and paramedics. Of the 259 individuals, 62 refused screening, and six who had already received hepatitis B vaccine were excluded from the study. The screening was not continued after the results of the first 174 tests returned negative. All 191 participants were vaccinated. No hepatitis B surface antigen carriers and only three individuals positive for hepatitis B surface antibody were found among those screened. This study corroborates the Centers for Disease Control guidelines of cost effectiveness in screening prehospital health care workers.
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics*; D008910:Minnesota; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines