title: Hepatitis B vaccination programs for hospital workers: results of a statewide survey.
abstract: To assess the implementation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination programs for hospital workers, we mailed questionnaires to all 229 licensed Michigan hospitals. The response rate was 96% (221/229); of these, 68% (150/221) had vaccination programs. Although multiple hospital characteristics were associated with the presence of a vaccination program, characteristics that independently predicted the presence of a program were medical school affiliation, nonpsychiatric specialty, and the existence of a hepatitis B immune globulin protocol. The most common reason given (56%, 40/71) for the absence of a program was insufficient worker risk of hepatitis B infection; this response was frequent in psychiatric (91%, 10/11) and rural hospitals (61%, 11/18). Among high-risk workers, attending physicians were less likely than other high-risk workers to be included in vaccination programs (68% vs. 95%, respectively). Fear of vaccine-associated acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was most frequently cited as the primary reason for vaccine refusal. We conclude that unwarranted fears about the vaccine's safety need to be dispelled, that high-risk physicians should be included in vaccination programs, and that rural and psychiatric hospital policies reflect their perceived risk of occupational HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Disease Surveillance, Michigan Department of Public Health, Lansing 48909.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Sienko
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Anda
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Remington
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gunn
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005239:Fear; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008824:Michigan; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011367:Professional Staff Committees; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin