School-based adolescent hepatitis B immunization programs in the United States: strategies and successes.
BACKGROUND
To increase hepatitis B vaccination coverage of adolescents, a public/private partnership was organized in the greater Baton Rouge area of Louisiana in 1992 to fund and implement school-based vaccination programs.


METHODS
Initial programs utilized schools with existing school-based clinics and administered 2 to 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine to up to 76% of eligible students. During 1996 to 1997, expansion from 4 schools to 68 schools was facilitated by the use of temporary clinics set up in open school space. This multifaceted program administered 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine to 3232 students (75%) and 2 doses to 171 students (4%). Administration of the 3-dose regimen of hepatitis B vaccine was aided by the use of a dosing schedule at 0, 2 and 4 months. This accelerated dosing has been shown to provide seroprotection for greater than 95% of healthy adolescents.


RESULTS
In the Baton Rouge area, the hepatitis B adolescent vaccination program has immunized approximately 5000 adolescents during a 5-year period with minimal use of financial and personnel resources.


CONCLUSIONS
The success and growth of this program demonstrate that school-based vaccination programs can be highly efficient and effective.
Louisiana State University Medical Center, Baton Rouge, USA. bcassi@unix.ekl.lsumc.edu
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Cassidy
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D015994:Incidence; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017149:Private Sector; D016730:Program Development; D017150:Public Sector; D012572:School Health Services
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines